Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a progressive and chronic condition defined by a loss of control over alcohol consumption. This is despite its negative consequences on one’s physical well-being, including gaining weight and mental health. Studies show that even moderate alcohol consumption shortens REM sleep. It’s a crucial stage for memory consolidation and does drinking hard liquor make you gain weight overall well-being.
It presses pause on fat-burning
Still, the researchers noted that more research is needed to understand how eliminating or limiting alcohol intake affects weight loss. Heavy drinking can increase hunger hormones and decrease fat burning, which leads to weight gain over time. Based on the evidence from these 3 studies, alcohol can cause weight gain if you drink large drug addiction quantities of it. A standard drink (12 oz 4% alcohol beer, 1 oz of hard liquor, or about 4oz 12% alcohol wine) will provide about 10 grams of alcohol.
Quitting Alcohol Timeline: What Happens When You Stop Drinking?
Over the course of the night, this could mean consuming fewer bevvies and fewer calories. Moderate alcohol consumption also means lowering your overall alcohol intake throughout the week and potentially having a few nights where you don’t drink. The most obvious might be carbonated drinks, such as beer or soda. Champagne, sparkling wine, and hard seltzer also contain carbonation that can lead to bloating. Taking in the carbonation leads to gas in the upper digestive system.
Is Hard Alcohol Worse for You Than Beer? Understanding the Health Risks and Effects
The pressure or tightness in the abdomen can feel anywhere from mildly uncomfortable to really painful. This leads to decreased digestive secretions and movement of food through the tract. Drinking alcohol is a favorite pastime for humans, both socially and culturally.
Health Awareness
Assuming you haven’t had an overly sugary brand of vino, you’ve just consumed 318 additional calories. Drinkaware has a wonderful, reality-inducing tool that lets you calculate exactly how many calories you’re consuming when you go for drinks. As a result, people with diabetes may need to practice caution with alcohol. Drinking alcohol with diabetes medicine, especially on an empty stomach, may cause low blood sugar. “If we wake up hungover, we are more likely to skip our normal workout class or grocery shopping and, instead, order takeout and not move,” adds Meshulam.
Table of Contents
The body considers alcohol a toxin/waste, therefore when someone drinks, it metabolizes it, and other nutrients such as fat will be pushed aside. Once the fat is stored up in the liver, it can lead to liver disease. When an individual is drinking a large amount of alcohol, engaging in healthy activities such as exercise will feel like a task, rather than a privilege. While alcohol can affect weight in many ways, the caloric content should not be ignored. Alcohol contains almost as many calories per ounce as pure fat, meaning that even just a few drinks can significantly increase your calorie intake for the day.
Alcohol Metabolism and Weight Gain
Long-term consumption of both hard alcohol and beer can result in health risks like liver disease, heart problems, and alcohol dependency. So, while drinking alcohol in moderation may be fine, excessive intake can aid weight gain, and lead to serious health ailments. Moreover, she threw light on an important aspect of consuming snacks along with drinking alcohol.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator, cycle or walk to work, go for a stroll on your lunch break, or suggest walking meetings with colleagues rather than seated ones.
- You’ve likely considered what you’re eating, what you’re not eating and of course, how much you’re moving.
- Alcohol’s effects on behavior, sleep and metabolism all play a role in how alcohol influences weight gain.
- Increased levels of ghrelin can stimulate appetite, while decreased levels of leptin can impair the feeling of fullness.
- Hard alcohol contains a significantly higher alcohol content than beer.
- Alcohol bloating due to acute gastritis usually disappears within a few days, but chronic gastritis symptoms can last months or even years.
By adopting a balanced and mindful approach to hard alcohol consumption, individuals can enjoy their favorite spirits while minimizing the risk of weight gain. In May a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provided another angle on gender differences. It compared the food and calorie intake of a nationwide sampling of 1,864 people on days when they did and didn’t drink alcohol. On the drinking day, the men consumed 433 extra calories, on average, 363 of which came from the alcoholic beverages, the rest from extra foods and other beverages. (These averages include the 10 percent who were heavy drinkers, which skews the numbers higher.) The men consumed more protein, fat, sodium and meat on the drinking day.
Persistent high alcohol consumption, however, increases the risk of chronic gastritis, which involves stomach ulcers. Drinking alcohol may lead to inflammation and irritation in the stomach which results in bloating. Alcohol can also cause weight gain, giving the appearance of bloating. So you don’t consume additional calories, maybe consider replacing your dessert, or other form of empty calories with a glass of wine at night. It is also not recommended to drink alcohol instead of eating food because, as stated above, alcohol is considered empty calories.
Alcohol hinders the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients. This disruption can have an impact on energy levels and body weight. When you drink alcohol, it affects the digestive system, inhibiting the absorption of nutrients from the food you consume. In fact, a single serving of alcohol can contain from 100 to 300 calories, depending on the type and proof of the drink.
Wine is not inherently fattening, but it can contribute to weight gain if you consume the alcoholic drink in excess. It adds calories and can slow down fat burning if overconsumed. Just stick to one small glass of wine and have it only 3 to 4 times a week or less to avoid gaining weight and experiencing other side effects. Also, watch your calorie intake to prevent weight gain while drinking wine.
Alcohol and Fat Metabolism: Does Drinking Slow Things Down and Make You Gain Weight?
Learn how oral GLP-1 medications like Rybelsus and new options work to manage type 2 diabetes and support weight loss. GLP-1s and HRT both help postmenopausal women live comfortably. Discover more about the benefits, risks, and recommendations of both treatments. If you’re struggling to lose weight, LifeMD’s Weight Management Program can provide the guidance and support you need to reach your goals.
