Why Dry January Might Mess With Your Poop Schedule

Key TakeawaysAlcohol can cause diarrhea, constipation, and other gastrointestinal issues.People who stop drinking for Dry January may notice their bathroom habits change.If you experience constipation during Dry January, experts recommend drinking enough water and eating foods with a lot of fiber.Many people participate in Dry January—in which they cut out all alcohol for the first month of the year. By some estimates, about 15% of people in the United States who drink observe this trend.Cutting out alcohol—even temporarily—can come with many positive side effects; for instance, you may notice you sleep better and have more energy.You may also notice a change in yourbowel movementssince drinking can affect how—and how often—you poop. For example, if you used to have frequent diarrhea from alcohol use, you may no longer experience diarrhea.“Alcohol impacts the gut in multiple ways,”Rabia De Latour, MD, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone, told Verywell. “If you’re talking about bowel movements, it can cause diarrhea in certain people.”For other people, it may cause constipation. “Alcohol messes with your bowel movements, causing both constipation and diarrhea,”Sethi Saurabh, MD, a gastroenterologist based in Fremont, California, told Verywell. “It throws off the fluid balance in your intestines, and that’s why you might face these issues.”Abstaining from alcohol during Dry January may resolve these issues. “During Dry January, you might notice your bathroom routine improving as your body gets used to less alcohol,” Sethi said.What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Alcohol for a Month?How Dry January Can Change Your Bathroom HabitsDry January is not intended for people with alcohol dependence oralcohol use disorder. It is designed for people who consistently drink too much too often (more than two drinks daily for men and one drink daily for women) without considering alcohol’s effects on theirhealth.DiarrheaDiarrhea is commonly seen among people withalcohol use disorder.“Alcoholism often brings on diarrhea, but even [people who drink casually] might experience changes in their bathroom visits, though it might not be as severe,” Sethi said.This could be due to alcohol’s effects on the stomach lining. “What alcohol does really well is it breaks down protein, and your whole [gastrointestinal] lining is made of protein,”Akhil Anand, MD, a psychiatrist specializing in addiction at Cleveland Clinic, told Verywell.ConstipationThe reason that alcohol can causeconstipationis that it can cause dehydration, De Latour explained. “We see that in people who might be really dehydrated as a result of drinking too much because [alcohol] is also a diuretic, so people pee a lot when drinking alcohol,” she said.Alcohol can also cause you to poop more or less frequently, and it can change theconsistency of your stool. “Alcohol can shake up the frequency of your bowel movements, making you urgently need to poop or disrupting your regular bowel consistency and patterns,” Sethi said.DysbiosisDrinking can also causedysbiosis—meaning it can mess up the balance of good bacteria in the gut—and it can alter your gut permeability, De Latour said.These changes can affect people who haven’t been drinking that long or those who tend to drink heavily often. “Your bathroom routine can shift in the short-term from drinking, but if you’re a regular heavy drinker, it’s more likely to consistently alter your bowel habits,” Sethi explained.Your bathroom habits may become healthier when you stop drinking—even temporarily.Is It Bad If You Don’t Poop Every Day? Here’s What Gastroenterologists SayWhat to Do If You’re Constipated During Dry JanuaryIf you start feeling constipated during Dry January, you may need to examine any dietary changes you’ve recently made. Abstaining from alcohol shouldn’t cause constipation, De Latour explained.“If you stop drinking, you shouldn’t see a worsening of [constipation] symptoms, per se, because alcohol shouldn’t be the thing that’s helping you poop,” De Latour said.If you’re experiencing constipation during Dry January, you should make sure you’re drinking enough water and eating ahigh-fiber diet, she said. Foods high in dietary fiber include fruits, vegetables, and grains.Ultimately, though, pausing or quitting alcohol will only help your bowels (and the rest of your body), De Latour explained.It’s important to remember that certain changes to your bathroom routine should prompt an immediate healthcare visit—regardless of whether or not those changes are related to alcohol consumption—De Latour said: “You should seek medical attention for any red flags when it comes to stool.”These include:Blood in the stoolUnexplained weight lossAbdominal pain that doesn’t resolve after a couple of daysDiarrhea or constipation that doesn’t resolve after a couple of daysChanges in stool consistency that don’t let up (for instance, if your stool becomes very thin)Having to strain or use much effort when using the bathroomInformation on how often you’ve been going to the bathroom and how hard or soft your stool has been is helpful for your healthcare provider.To assess the consistency of your stool, De Latour recommended consulting theBristol Stool Chart, a tool healthcare providers use to determine whether their patients are pooping normally. “The gold standard is for your stool to be very soft, for it to be a three to four on the Bristol Stool Chart,” she explained.You may notice many changes during your first few days of abstaining from alcohol, particularly if you previously drank a lot and drank often, experts said. But if changes to your bathroom habits persist over time, it’s worth speaking to a healthcare provider, as these could denote an underlying issue.What This Means For YouDrinking alcohol can be bad for your gastrointestinal system in a variety of ways. Drinking can cause constipation, diarrhea, as well as other GI problems. If you temporarily pause drinking—or decide to stop permanently—you may notice changes to your bathroom habits. If changes such as constipation or diarrhea persist, see a healthcare provider to determine what may be causing your symptoms.

Key TakeawaysAlcohol can cause diarrhea, constipation, and other gastrointestinal issues.People who stop drinking for Dry January may notice their bathroom habits change.If you experience constipation during Dry January, experts recommend drinking enough water and eating foods with a lot of fiber.

Key Takeaways

Alcohol can cause diarrhea, constipation, and other gastrointestinal issues.People who stop drinking for Dry January may notice their bathroom habits change.If you experience constipation during Dry January, experts recommend drinking enough water and eating foods with a lot of fiber.

Many people participate in Dry January—in which they cut out all alcohol for the first month of the year. By some estimates, about 15% of people in the United States who drink observe this trend.

Cutting out alcohol—even temporarily—can come with many positive side effects; for instance, you may notice you sleep better and have more energy.

You may also notice a change in yourbowel movementssince drinking can affect how—and how often—you poop. For example, if you used to have frequent diarrhea from alcohol use, you may no longer experience diarrhea.

“Alcohol impacts the gut in multiple ways,”Rabia De Latour, MD, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone, told Verywell. “If you’re talking about bowel movements, it can cause diarrhea in certain people.”

For other people, it may cause constipation. “Alcohol messes with your bowel movements, causing both constipation and diarrhea,”Sethi Saurabh, MD, a gastroenterologist based in Fremont, California, told Verywell. “It throws off the fluid balance in your intestines, and that’s why you might face these issues.”

Abstaining from alcohol during Dry January may resolve these issues. “During Dry January, you might notice your bathroom routine improving as your body gets used to less alcohol,” Sethi said.

What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Alcohol for a Month?

How Dry January Can Change Your Bathroom Habits

Dry January is not intended for people with alcohol dependence oralcohol use disorder. It is designed for people who consistently drink too much too often (more than two drinks daily for men and one drink daily for women) without considering alcohol’s effects on theirhealth.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is commonly seen among people withalcohol use disorder.“Alcoholism often brings on diarrhea, but even [people who drink casually] might experience changes in their bathroom visits, though it might not be as severe,” Sethi said.

This could be due to alcohol’s effects on the stomach lining. “What alcohol does really well is it breaks down protein, and your whole [gastrointestinal] lining is made of protein,”Akhil Anand, MD, a psychiatrist specializing in addiction at Cleveland Clinic, told Verywell.

Constipation

The reason that alcohol can causeconstipationis that it can cause dehydration, De Latour explained. “We see that in people who might be really dehydrated as a result of drinking too much because [alcohol] is also a diuretic, so people pee a lot when drinking alcohol,” she said.

Alcohol can also cause you to poop more or less frequently, and it can change theconsistency of your stool. “Alcohol can shake up the frequency of your bowel movements, making you urgently need to poop or disrupting your regular bowel consistency and patterns,” Sethi said.

Dysbiosis

Drinking can also causedysbiosis—meaning it can mess up the balance of good bacteria in the gut—and it can alter your gut permeability, De Latour said.

These changes can affect people who haven’t been drinking that long or those who tend to drink heavily often. “Your bathroom routine can shift in the short-term from drinking, but if you’re a regular heavy drinker, it’s more likely to consistently alter your bowel habits,” Sethi explained.

Your bathroom habits may become healthier when you stop drinking—even temporarily.

Is It Bad If You Don’t Poop Every Day? Here’s What Gastroenterologists Say

What to Do If You’re Constipated During Dry January

If you start feeling constipated during Dry January, you may need to examine any dietary changes you’ve recently made. Abstaining from alcohol shouldn’t cause constipation, De Latour explained.

“If you stop drinking, you shouldn’t see a worsening of [constipation] symptoms, per se, because alcohol shouldn’t be the thing that’s helping you poop,” De Latour said.

If you’re experiencing constipation during Dry January, you should make sure you’re drinking enough water and eating ahigh-fiber diet, she said. Foods high in dietary fiber include fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Ultimately, though, pausing or quitting alcohol will only help your bowels (and the rest of your body), De Latour explained.

It’s important to remember that certain changes to your bathroom routine should prompt an immediate healthcare visit—regardless of whether or not those changes are related to alcohol consumption—De Latour said: “You should seek medical attention for any red flags when it comes to stool.”

These include:

Information on how often you’ve been going to the bathroom and how hard or soft your stool has been is helpful for your healthcare provider.

To assess the consistency of your stool, De Latour recommended consulting theBristol Stool Chart, a tool healthcare providers use to determine whether their patients are pooping normally. “The gold standard is for your stool to be very soft, for it to be a three to four on the Bristol Stool Chart,” she explained.

You may notice many changes during your first few days of abstaining from alcohol, particularly if you previously drank a lot and drank often, experts said. But if changes to your bathroom habits persist over time, it’s worth speaking to a healthcare provider, as these could denote an underlying issue.

What This Means For YouDrinking alcohol can be bad for your gastrointestinal system in a variety of ways. Drinking can cause constipation, diarrhea, as well as other GI problems. If you temporarily pause drinking—or decide to stop permanently—you may notice changes to your bathroom habits. If changes such as constipation or diarrhea persist, see a healthcare provider to determine what may be causing your symptoms.

What This Means For You

Drinking alcohol can be bad for your gastrointestinal system in a variety of ways. Drinking can cause constipation, diarrhea, as well as other GI problems. If you temporarily pause drinking—or decide to stop permanently—you may notice changes to your bathroom habits. If changes such as constipation or diarrhea persist, see a healthcare provider to determine what may be causing your symptoms.

6 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.American Association for Cancer Research.From Dry January to Sober October: cutting back on alcohol.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Dietary guidelines for alcohol.Ballard J.What is Dry January?Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(642):32.Haber PS, Kortt NC.Alcohol use disorder and the gut.Addiction. 2021;116(3):658-667. doi:10.1111/add.15147Fairfield B, Schnabl B.Gut dysbiosis as a driver in alcohol-induced liver injury.JHEP Rep. 2020;3(2):100220. doi:10.1016/j.jhepr.2020.100220National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.High-fiber foods.

6 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.American Association for Cancer Research.From Dry January to Sober October: cutting back on alcohol.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Dietary guidelines for alcohol.Ballard J.What is Dry January?Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(642):32.Haber PS, Kortt NC.Alcohol use disorder and the gut.Addiction. 2021;116(3):658-667. doi:10.1111/add.15147Fairfield B, Schnabl B.Gut dysbiosis as a driver in alcohol-induced liver injury.JHEP Rep. 2020;3(2):100220. doi:10.1016/j.jhepr.2020.100220National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.High-fiber foods.

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.

American Association for Cancer Research.From Dry January to Sober October: cutting back on alcohol.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Dietary guidelines for alcohol.Ballard J.What is Dry January?Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(642):32.Haber PS, Kortt NC.Alcohol use disorder and the gut.Addiction. 2021;116(3):658-667. doi:10.1111/add.15147Fairfield B, Schnabl B.Gut dysbiosis as a driver in alcohol-induced liver injury.JHEP Rep. 2020;3(2):100220. doi:10.1016/j.jhepr.2020.100220National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.High-fiber foods.

American Association for Cancer Research.From Dry January to Sober October: cutting back on alcohol.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Dietary guidelines for alcohol.

Ballard J.What is Dry January?Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(642):32.

Haber PS, Kortt NC.Alcohol use disorder and the gut.Addiction. 2021;116(3):658-667. doi:10.1111/add.15147

Fairfield B, Schnabl B.Gut dysbiosis as a driver in alcohol-induced liver injury.JHEP Rep. 2020;3(2):100220. doi:10.1016/j.jhepr.2020.100220

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.High-fiber foods.

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