Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It Causes InflammationIdentifying InflammationHealth ImpactReducing Inflammation
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Causes Inflammation
Identifying Inflammation
Health Impact
Reducing Inflammation
Alcoholis deeply embedded into the fabric of society. Across cultures and traditions, people worldwide drink alcohol when celebrating, socializing, and relaxing.While often perceived as a harmless indulgence, alcohol consumption can have detrimental effects on our health.
Alcohol use increases the risk of many health problems, including heart disease,liver failure, and certain types of cancer.The link between inflammation and chronic diseases is also well-established, which raises a crucial question: Does alcohol cause inflammation?The short answer is yes.
This article explores how alcohol causes inflammation and what you can do to reduce its adverse effects.
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Alcohol Use Disorder
There are many resources available to help overcome alcohol misuse and addiction. Talk to a healthcare provider to discuss your concerns or call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357).
How Does Alcohol Cause Inflammation?
Inflammationis the body’s natural response to injury or infection. When the body detects a threat—such as pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses), chemical irritants, or damaged tissues from injury—it initiates an inflammatory response to eliminate the threat and promote healing.
Alcohol acts as a catalyst for inflammation, triggering your body’s inflammatory response. When you drink alcohol, your body metabolizes it intoacetaldehyde—a toxic chemical that causes oxidative stress and cell damage. Although acetaldehyde is only in the body for a short time, it can cause damage to several organs and tissues, including the liver, brain, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract.
Alcohol contributes to inflammation in several ways, including:
What Type of Alcohol Does Not Cause Inflammation?All types of alcohol can trigger inflammation, though how much inflammation it causes can vary depending on the type of alcohol and amount consumed. Red wine contains polyphenols—antioxidant compounds with anti-inflammatory properties—which suggests it may cause less inflammation than other types of alcohol, such as liquor or beer.If you drink, do so occasionally and in moderation to protect your health.
What Type of Alcohol Does Not Cause Inflammation?
All types of alcohol can trigger inflammation, though how much inflammation it causes can vary depending on the type of alcohol and amount consumed. Red wine contains polyphenols—antioxidant compounds with anti-inflammatory properties—which suggests it may cause less inflammation than other types of alcohol, such as liquor or beer.If you drink, do so occasionally and in moderation to protect your health.
How Long Does It Take to Sober Up After Drinking?
How to Tell If You Have Inflammation
Acute (short-term) inflammation causes symptoms such as redness, swelling, warmth, and pain at the site of infection or injury.Chronic (long-term) inflammation associated withlong-term alcohol useslowly destroys the body’s tissues, causing a range of bodywide symptoms that may seem vague or unexplainable.
Symptoms of chronic inflammationinclude:
Impact of Chronic Inflammation on Health
Chronic systemic inflammation slowly destroys the body’s healthy tissues and organs and can damage cell DNA. Over time, this prolonged inflammatory response takes a toll on your health. Chronic inflammation is linked to the development of many chronic health conditions, including:
Inflammation vs. SwellingSwellingis temporary fluid buildup in the body, which can occur due to injury or illness.Inflammation is the body’s immune response to a detected threat, which can have lasting health effects.Alcohol can cause both swelling and inflammation. In the short term, alcohol consumption can lead to swelling in your face and other parts of the body due to dehydration and fluid retention. Excessive or chronic alcohol consumption can trigger inflammation throughout the body, increasing your risk of chronic diseases.
Inflammation vs. Swelling
Swellingis temporary fluid buildup in the body, which can occur due to injury or illness.Inflammation is the body’s immune response to a detected threat, which can have lasting health effects.Alcohol can cause both swelling and inflammation. In the short term, alcohol consumption can lead to swelling in your face and other parts of the body due to dehydration and fluid retention. Excessive or chronic alcohol consumption can trigger inflammation throughout the body, increasing your risk of chronic diseases.
Swellingis temporary fluid buildup in the body, which can occur due to injury or illness.Inflammation is the body’s immune response to a detected threat, which can have lasting health effects.
Alcohol can cause both swelling and inflammation. In the short term, alcohol consumption can lead to swelling in your face and other parts of the body due to dehydration and fluid retention. Excessive or chronic alcohol consumption can trigger inflammation throughout the body, increasing your risk of chronic diseases.
How to Reduce Inflammation
Healthy lifestyle choices can help reduce inflammation, lower your risk of chronic diseases, and enhance your overall health and well-being. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits is a challenging journey. Remember that change takes time, and it’s perfectly fine to make minor, gradual adjustments rather than attempting an overnight transformation. The key is to adopt habits that you can realistically sustain over time, such as the following:
Summary
Alcohol consumption can trigger systemic inflammation and increase the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. With chronic inflammation, you may develop symptoms such as fatigue, weight changes, joint and muscle pain, skin problems, gastrointestinal discomfort, and frequent infections.
24 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Social Issues Research Center.Social and cultural aspects of alcohol use.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol’s effects on the body.Furman D, Campisi J, Verdin E, et al.Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span.Nat Med. 2019;25(12):1822-1832. doi:10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0United States Government.Find help for substance abuse.National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.Inflammation.Hrncir T.Gut microbiota dysbiosis: triggers, consequences, diagnostic and therapeutic options.Microorganisms. 2022;10(3):578. doi:10.3390/microorganisms10030578Tsermpini EE, Plemenitaš Ilješ A, Dolžan V.Alcohol-induced oxidative stress and the role of antioxidants in alcohol use disorder: A systematic review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2022;11(7):1374. doi:10.3390/antiox11071374Forman HJ, Zhang H. Targeting oxidative stress in disease: promise and limitations of antioxidant therapy.Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2021;20(9):689-709. doi:10.1038/s41573-021-00233-1Mohammad S, Thiemermann C.Role of metabolic endotoxemia in systemic inflammation and potential interventions.Front Immunol. 2021;11:594150. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.594150Barr T, Helms C, Grant K, Messaoudi I.Opposing effects of alcohol on the immune system.Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2016;65:242-251. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.09.001Chiva-Blanch G, Badimon L.Benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease: Current findings and controversies.Nutrients. 2019;12(1):108. doi:10.3390/nu12010108American Heart Association.Is drinking alcohol part of a healthy lifestyle?.Hannoodee S, Nasuruddin DN.Acute inflammatory response. In:StatPearls.StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Pahwa R, Goyal A, Jialal I.Chronic inflammation. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Sohrab SS, Raj R, Nagar A, et al.Chronic inflammation’s transformation to cancer: a nanotherapeutic paradigm.Molecules. 2023;28(11):4413. doi:10.3390/molecules28114413Tampa M, Neagu M, Caruntu C, et al.Skin inflammation - a cornerstone in dermatological conditions.J Pers Med. 2022;12(9):1370. doi:10.3390/jpm12091370MedlinePlus.Swelling.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Hangovers.Arthritis Foundation.Anti-inflammatory diet do’s and don’ts.Langston PK, Sun Y, Ryback BA, et al.Regulatory T cells shield muscle mitochondria from interferon-γ-mediated damage to promote the beneficial effects of exercise.Sci Immunol. 2023;8(89):eadi5377. doi:10.1126/sciimmunol.adi5377Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent chronic diseases: What you can do now.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol use and your health.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Manage stress.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health effects of cigarette smoking.
24 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Social Issues Research Center.Social and cultural aspects of alcohol use.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol’s effects on the body.Furman D, Campisi J, Verdin E, et al.Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span.Nat Med. 2019;25(12):1822-1832. doi:10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0United States Government.Find help for substance abuse.National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.Inflammation.Hrncir T.Gut microbiota dysbiosis: triggers, consequences, diagnostic and therapeutic options.Microorganisms. 2022;10(3):578. doi:10.3390/microorganisms10030578Tsermpini EE, Plemenitaš Ilješ A, Dolžan V.Alcohol-induced oxidative stress and the role of antioxidants in alcohol use disorder: A systematic review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2022;11(7):1374. doi:10.3390/antiox11071374Forman HJ, Zhang H. Targeting oxidative stress in disease: promise and limitations of antioxidant therapy.Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2021;20(9):689-709. doi:10.1038/s41573-021-00233-1Mohammad S, Thiemermann C.Role of metabolic endotoxemia in systemic inflammation and potential interventions.Front Immunol. 2021;11:594150. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.594150Barr T, Helms C, Grant K, Messaoudi I.Opposing effects of alcohol on the immune system.Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2016;65:242-251. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.09.001Chiva-Blanch G, Badimon L.Benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease: Current findings and controversies.Nutrients. 2019;12(1):108. doi:10.3390/nu12010108American Heart Association.Is drinking alcohol part of a healthy lifestyle?.Hannoodee S, Nasuruddin DN.Acute inflammatory response. In:StatPearls.StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Pahwa R, Goyal A, Jialal I.Chronic inflammation. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Sohrab SS, Raj R, Nagar A, et al.Chronic inflammation’s transformation to cancer: a nanotherapeutic paradigm.Molecules. 2023;28(11):4413. doi:10.3390/molecules28114413Tampa M, Neagu M, Caruntu C, et al.Skin inflammation - a cornerstone in dermatological conditions.J Pers Med. 2022;12(9):1370. doi:10.3390/jpm12091370MedlinePlus.Swelling.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Hangovers.Arthritis Foundation.Anti-inflammatory diet do’s and don’ts.Langston PK, Sun Y, Ryback BA, et al.Regulatory T cells shield muscle mitochondria from interferon-γ-mediated damage to promote the beneficial effects of exercise.Sci Immunol. 2023;8(89):eadi5377. doi:10.1126/sciimmunol.adi5377Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent chronic diseases: What you can do now.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol use and your health.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Manage stress.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health effects of cigarette smoking.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Social Issues Research Center.Social and cultural aspects of alcohol use.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol’s effects on the body.Furman D, Campisi J, Verdin E, et al.Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span.Nat Med. 2019;25(12):1822-1832. doi:10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0United States Government.Find help for substance abuse.National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.Inflammation.Hrncir T.Gut microbiota dysbiosis: triggers, consequences, diagnostic and therapeutic options.Microorganisms. 2022;10(3):578. doi:10.3390/microorganisms10030578Tsermpini EE, Plemenitaš Ilješ A, Dolžan V.Alcohol-induced oxidative stress and the role of antioxidants in alcohol use disorder: A systematic review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2022;11(7):1374. doi:10.3390/antiox11071374Forman HJ, Zhang H. Targeting oxidative stress in disease: promise and limitations of antioxidant therapy.Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2021;20(9):689-709. doi:10.1038/s41573-021-00233-1Mohammad S, Thiemermann C.Role of metabolic endotoxemia in systemic inflammation and potential interventions.Front Immunol. 2021;11:594150. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.594150Barr T, Helms C, Grant K, Messaoudi I.Opposing effects of alcohol on the immune system.Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2016;65:242-251. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.09.001Chiva-Blanch G, Badimon L.Benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease: Current findings and controversies.Nutrients. 2019;12(1):108. doi:10.3390/nu12010108American Heart Association.Is drinking alcohol part of a healthy lifestyle?.Hannoodee S, Nasuruddin DN.Acute inflammatory response. In:StatPearls.StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Pahwa R, Goyal A, Jialal I.Chronic inflammation. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Sohrab SS, Raj R, Nagar A, et al.Chronic inflammation’s transformation to cancer: a nanotherapeutic paradigm.Molecules. 2023;28(11):4413. doi:10.3390/molecules28114413Tampa M, Neagu M, Caruntu C, et al.Skin inflammation - a cornerstone in dermatological conditions.J Pers Med. 2022;12(9):1370. doi:10.3390/jpm12091370MedlinePlus.Swelling.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Hangovers.Arthritis Foundation.Anti-inflammatory diet do’s and don’ts.Langston PK, Sun Y, Ryback BA, et al.Regulatory T cells shield muscle mitochondria from interferon-γ-mediated damage to promote the beneficial effects of exercise.Sci Immunol. 2023;8(89):eadi5377. doi:10.1126/sciimmunol.adi5377Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent chronic diseases: What you can do now.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol use and your health.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Manage stress.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health effects of cigarette smoking.
Social Issues Research Center.Social and cultural aspects of alcohol use.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol’s effects on the body.
Furman D, Campisi J, Verdin E, et al.Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span.Nat Med. 2019;25(12):1822-1832. doi:10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0
United States Government.Find help for substance abuse.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.Inflammation.
Hrncir T.Gut microbiota dysbiosis: triggers, consequences, diagnostic and therapeutic options.Microorganisms. 2022;10(3):578. doi:10.3390/microorganisms10030578
Tsermpini EE, Plemenitaš Ilješ A, Dolžan V.Alcohol-induced oxidative stress and the role of antioxidants in alcohol use disorder: A systematic review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2022;11(7):1374. doi:10.3390/antiox11071374
Forman HJ, Zhang H. Targeting oxidative stress in disease: promise and limitations of antioxidant therapy.Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2021;20(9):689-709. doi:10.1038/s41573-021-00233-1
Mohammad S, Thiemermann C.Role of metabolic endotoxemia in systemic inflammation and potential interventions.Front Immunol. 2021;11:594150. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.594150
Barr T, Helms C, Grant K, Messaoudi I.Opposing effects of alcohol on the immune system.Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2016;65:242-251. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.09.001
Chiva-Blanch G, Badimon L.Benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease: Current findings and controversies.Nutrients. 2019;12(1):108. doi:10.3390/nu12010108
American Heart Association.Is drinking alcohol part of a healthy lifestyle?.
Hannoodee S, Nasuruddin DN.Acute inflammatory response. In:StatPearls.StatPearls Publishing; 2023.
Pahwa R, Goyal A, Jialal I.Chronic inflammation. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.
Sohrab SS, Raj R, Nagar A, et al.Chronic inflammation’s transformation to cancer: a nanotherapeutic paradigm.Molecules. 2023;28(11):4413. doi:10.3390/molecules28114413
Tampa M, Neagu M, Caruntu C, et al.Skin inflammation - a cornerstone in dermatological conditions.J Pers Med. 2022;12(9):1370. doi:10.3390/jpm12091370
MedlinePlus.Swelling.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Hangovers.
Arthritis Foundation.Anti-inflammatory diet do’s and don’ts.
Langston PK, Sun Y, Ryback BA, et al.Regulatory T cells shield muscle mitochondria from interferon-γ-mediated damage to promote the beneficial effects of exercise.Sci Immunol. 2023;8(89):eadi5377. doi:10.1126/sciimmunol.adi5377
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent chronic diseases: What you can do now.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol use and your health.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Manage stress.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health effects of cigarette smoking.
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