How Can Alcohol Ruin Your Immune System?

04/12/2021

The immune system works in your body as a wall to defend itself from harmful viruses, bacteria, and infections, which eventually prevents you from getting sick. In the current COVID scenario, it is more important than ever to keep the immune system healthy as it can help fight off diseases like COVID-19 more quickly. Alcohol directly impairs the immune system's cells, making it hard for the wall to defend itself from viruses, and excessive alcohol consumption can worsen the wall. 

How does alcohol affect your immune system?

Alcohol changes your gut microbiome's design, which has trillions of microorganisms in place, performing critical roles to keep you healthy; this affects microorganisms' ability to help the immune system. With the damage in the immune system's cells, it gets easier for pathogens to cross the bloodstream.

If you think that you will get a simple cold or fever due to your weak immune system, then you are wrong. This condition can lead to many respiratory diseases, high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic pancreatitis, liver disease, nerve damage, painful ulcer, and an increased risk of cancer.

That’s not the end of the line. Some studies suggest that excessive alcohol drinking also affects your sleep quality. If a person gets less sleep, they are at a higher risk of getting sick and feeling tired the next day.

How much alcohol consumption weakens your immune system?

Moderate drinking on some occasions is usually safe and has no negative impact on the immune system. Anything above that your body is getting exposed to alcohol for an extended period is alarming. It is also advised that people with alcohol abuse disorder or women who are pregnant should avoid alcohol.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive drinking can be defined as:

Binge Drinking:

5 or more drinks on a single occasion for men; 4 or more drinks on a single occasion for women.

Heavy Drinking:

15 or more glasses a week for men, 8 or more drinks a week for women.

Drinking before the legal drinking age of 21 or drinking while pregnant.

Alcohol Awareness Month is going on, and it is the right time to spread awareness to your loved ones. If you know someone who has been drinking excessive alcohol lately, reach out to them and help them get rid of this habit. With the advancement in the medical field, there are effective anti-alcohol drugs available as well. Consult a doctor for the medical prescription and other treatments. 

Signs of a weakened immune system:

The immune system is the house of complex networks such as organs, cells, and proteins that assist the body in fighting against infections in order to protect the cells of the body. Your immune system is smart enough to recognize the germs it has never knocked out. As soon as the new germ enters the body, the immune system will be able to kill them. Having problems in the immune system can lead to several problems, such as autoimmune disorders, allergic diseases, immunodeficiencies, etc. If you have a weak immune system, you are prone to coming across new infections and diseases. Signs of a weakened immune system are: 

• Fatigue

• Infections

• Digestive problems 

• Slow healing process

• Cold hands 

• Persistent cold 

These are some of the common signs of a weakened immune system. If you notice these symptoms in yourself, you must get in touch with your doctor for treatment.