Diarrhea after beer: what to do? Beer alcoholism

Drinking any type of alcohol, even something as light as beer, is unlikely to have consequences for the body. As a rule, a person suffers from poisoning with toxic breakdown products of ethyl alcohol. Because of this, unpleasant symptoms develop the next day: headache, nausea, trembling of the limbs, general weakness and irritability. Experts warn that these are not the only signs of a hangover. Sometimes people suffer from digestive system disorders, including diarrhea.

Causes of diarrhea after beer

Beer is a light type of alcohol, the strength of which usually varies from 2.5 to 6 degrees. It is valued for its many different options, there is dark, light, lively, and bready. Beer is prepared from barley malt and hops, adding sugar to these ingredients. During fermentation, the required amount of ethyl alcohol is formed.

Beer has one more feature. It contains carbonic acid, which can remain unchanged only under pressure. As soon as it disappears, the substance breaks down into others. This ensures the presence of gases in beer, forming the characteristic foam.

If a person drinks high-quality beer in small quantities, there will be no serious consequences for the body, but if the recommended doses are exceeded, unpleasant symptoms develop. So, many people complain of diarrhea after drinking beer. This condition is provoked by various factors:

1. There is no single cause of diarrhea after drinking alcohol, but experts usually note the effect of gases on the intestinal walls. Bubbles often stimulate irritation of receptors, which leads to active contraction of the smooth muscle layer. As a result, the person develops diarrhea.

2. There are other causes of the pathological condition. If diarrhea develops in the morning after drinking large volumes of alcoholic beverages, then there is a high probability of intoxication with ethanol breakdown products. Alcohol itself cannot leave the body unchanged. First, it is oxidized to acetaldehyde, which, accumulating in tissues, can provoke digestive disorders - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

3. Regular consumption of beer or any other alcoholic beverages is fraught with other problems. Thus, in people suffering from addiction, the balance of intestinal microflora is often disturbed. With dysbacteriosis, a person usually suffers from alternating opposite symptoms - diarrhea and constipation.

Doctors warn that diarrhea after beer is not always associated with the presence of ethyl alcohol in a person’s blood.

Sometimes this condition signals dangerous pathologies, for which it is best to consult a doctor.

Thus, in some cases, diarrhea is provoked by intestinal infections of bacterial or viral origin.
Pathogenic microorganisms easily penetrate the human body, since his immune system weakens due to regular alcohol consumption.

Intestinal infections require drug treatment, so if a patient experiences heaviness in the lower abdomen due to diarrhea from drinking beer, you should see a doctor. The same recommendation is relevant if a person has severe stomach pain. A similar clinical picture is typical not only for a severe hangover, but also for gastritis and other inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases.

Stopping diarrhea and restoring water balance

Once the causes that provoke an attack of diarrhea have been established, treatment must begin. Prolonged diarrhea is dangerous because due to excessive dilution of stool and too active intestinal peristalsis, water does not have time to be fully absorbed. This leads to an imbalance in the electrolyte balance, since it is in the liquid that the minerals necessary for the body are dissolved.

If the problem is detected in a timely manner, it is quite easy to fix it. At the pharmacy you can purchase a specialized drug - Regidron. This is an electrolyte powder that is first dissolved in water and then drunk according to the instructions. The lack of minerals thanks to this medicine is eliminated in one day.

If, after drinking beer, diarrhea does not stop on its own, then you need to take a remedy that will relieve this unpleasant condition. Typically, experts advise using Loperamide tablets. The active substance of the same name blocks receptors located on the mucous membranes of the rectum, which leads to a decrease in the frequency of the urge to defecate.

Removing intoxication from diarrhea

If there is a severe beer hangover, accompanied by nausea, diarrhea and weakness, it is necessary to change the treatment tactics. In this case, it is not enough to simply establish a normal rhythm of intestinal contractions and saturate the body with minerals.

In case of acute intoxication, it is necessary to take specialized drugs - sorbents.

Such medications are designed to remove the remains of substances that are toxic to the body from the digestive system. They absorb toxins with their entire surface, and then remove them in bound form. Activated carbon is traditionally considered a popular sorbent, but modern experts are convinced that there are more effective preparations. This list includes:

· Smecta;

· Enterosgel;

· Polysorb.

All of them successfully cope with intoxication. They will also come in handy if the patient’s hangover worsens or an intestinal infection develops.

Diet for diarrhea after beer

When treating any intestinal disorder, it is important not only to take medications. Diet is considered an effective method of therapy. Proper nutrition during diarrhea allows you to stop fluid loss, restore spent reserves, and also saturate the body with vitamins and minerals.

Traditionally, if you have diarrhea, you should drink a lot of water. Herbal teas, rosehip decoction, and berry fruit drinks will also be useful. Soups, broths and other liquid foods also help saturate human tissues with water.

Some foods should be avoided if you have diarrhea after drinking beer. The ban is imposed on all spicy, fatty and heavy foods. Dairy products are also considered harmful for intestinal disorders, as they often provoke even greater irritation of the mucous membranes.

If a person develops diarrhea from beer, measures must be taken. Sometimes diarrhea is short-term and goes away quickly on its own. In this case, it is enough just to eat right to maintain the normal state of the body. If the symptoms intensify and persist for more than a day, then it is best to visit a therapist to find out the causes and select medications for treatment.

Most people take diarrhea after drinking alcohol for granted. Believing that in this way the body gets rid of ingested poisons. This statement is partly true, but not always. Therefore, today we will try to figure out what causes diarrhea after beer and how to deal with this condition.

Loose stools after drinking a foamy drink can occur either a couple of hours after taking it or after some time, for example, in the morning. After beer, the causes of diarrhea can be very diverse. Among them:

Activation of the gastrointestinal tract. The accelerated digestion process prevents the normal digestion of food and provokes the removal of its remains from the body “as is”. In this case, diarrhea after beer will be represented by watery feces; they contain food particles that have not had time to be digested.
Individual intolerance to alcoholic beverages. We are talking about a kind of allergic reaction to alcohol. In this case, in addition to diarrhea, other allergy symptoms are present, including rash, redness of the skin, itching, attacks of choking or severe coughing.
Dysbacteriosis due to excessive alcohol consumption. There are often situations when diarrhea from beer appears due to the death of beneficial microflora in the intestines. Alcohol, like an antiseptic, kills all living things in its path. Therefore, the likelihood of dysbacteriosis occurring when drinking beer too much is very high.
Poisoning by ethanol breakdown products. This condition is better known to us as hangover syndrome, and can be triggered by the abuse of intoxicating drinks.
Poisoning from low-quality, expired beer. After drinking surrogate alcohol, patients complain not only of loose stools, but also vomiting, stomach pain, and fever. This condition requires emergency care.
Diarrhea after beer can be caused not only by the foamy drink, but also by snacks. Most often, beer is drunk with fish, shrimp and other delicacies that have not undergone heat treatment. Such gatherings often end not only with stomach infections, but also with more serious intestinal infections.

Possible consequences and complications

Beer, like any other alcoholic drink, has the ability to interfere with the production of pepsin, which takes part in protein hydrolysis. The lack of this important enzyme causes protein deficiency in the body, which can adversely affect all organs and systems. And it is the digestive tract that suffers first. And poor digestion of food, in turn, prevents the absorption of vitamins, minerals and other compounds vital for the normal functioning of organs.

In medical practice there is the concept of alcoholic gastritis. This condition is manifested by the following symptoms:

feeling of nausea;
severe pain in the abdominal area;
abdominal muscle tension;
increase in temperature;
the presence of an unpleasant taste in the mouth;
diarrhea from beer and other types of alcohol (possibly with);
general weakness.

When these symptoms appear, drinking alcohol is strictly contraindicated, and beer is no exception. To confirm the diagnosis and draw up a treatment plan, you must consult a specialist. Diarrhea from bloody beer and shortness of breath are indications for urgent hospitalization.

It is important to correctly understand what giving up alcohol means. In this case, even non-alcoholic beer, which still contains a certain concentration of ethanol, as well as a whole list of various dyes, preservatives and flavors, is prohibited.

Treatment of beer diarrhea

We have sorted out the question of why there is diarrhea after beer. Now all that remains is to figure out how to help yourself in such a delicate situation. Basic recommendations:

If severe diarrhea appears during a beer drinking session after the first glass of draft beer, your face turns red and an itchy rash appears - this is an allergy. Take an antihistamine and consult a doctor immediately.
If you suspect poisoning from low-quality beer, the first step is to cleanse your body of toxins. Sorbents (Smecta, activated carbon, Atoxil, Polysorb) and drinking plenty of fluids will help with this. Do not take antidiarrheals under any circumstances, as this will disrupt the process of cleansing from poisons. If there is no improvement the next day, consult a doctor, as the situation may be much more serious.
Regardless of the cause of beer diarrhea, drink plenty of fluids. To prevent dehydration, non-carbonated mineral water, green tea, fruit juice, and compote are suitable. This recommendation is also relevant for hangover conditions that are not accompanied by dyspeptic symptoms and other digestive disorders.
During diarrhea, avoid dairy products, fried, spicy and salty foods. Alcohol, of course, is also strictly prohibited. Instead of heavy meals, it is recommended to eat food that coats the walls of the digestive tract (jelly, oatmeal).
Until complete recovery, avoid sports and any physical activity in general. Rest and sleep are the best medicines now.

Beer is a low-alcohol drink with an ethyl alcohol content of 3 to 5.5%; the drink is produced by fermenting barley malt with the addition of hops. Diarrhea after beer occurs with excessive consumption, allergic reactions to additives, and chronic diseases. The main causes of diarrhea are disruption of the microflora of the stomach and intestines, decreased production of enzymes, and irritation of the mucous membranes.

Beer contains ethyl alcohol, which provokes irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, disrupts intestinal motility, and impairs the quality of digestion.
The drink interferes with the absorption of water, the liquid is removed from the body through acute diarrheal conditions.
Diseases: gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, gastroenterocolitis. For stomach diseases, it is recommended to refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages.
Food allergy to artificial additives contained in the foamy drink. Irritation and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are caused by dyes, stabilizers, preservatives, and antioxidants, which manufacturers add to increase shelf life. To find out what is causing diarrhea, do a test at home. To do this, drink a glass of draft unfiltered beer in the morning on an empty stomach and observe the reaction. If there is no diarrhea, then the cause is an allergy to the supplement or snack.

With chronic consumption of drinks containing ethanol, the production of pepsin, which is responsible for the breakdown of protein, decreases. The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract deteriorates due to gradually increasing enzyme deficiency. Systematic consumption of alcohol leads to terrible diarrhea and gastritis.

Treating diarrhea from beer at home

Diarrhea after beer requires urgent measures:

diarrhea causes dehydration and disruption of water-salt balance. If poisoned, drink as much fluid as possible. It is recommended to drink clean water without gases or artificial additives. To prevent dehydration, taking electrolyte solutions will help, the most popular is Regidron;
If you have diarrhea after beer, take sorbents the next day. This type of drug binds toxic substances and removes them from the body;
An enema will help get rid of toxic substances. Boil 2 liters of water and cool. Add 1 tsp. salt and 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, stir;
if you have severe diarrhea, use a folk remedy to stop diarrhea. Prepare 25 g of marshmallow and 10 g of wild rosemary. The raw material should be infused in 1 liter of boiling water for 60 minutes, then strained. Drink 1 tablespoon every 2 hours;
In case of diarrhea, it is recommended to avoid food for 12 hours. After this time, the diet should be gentle. It is prohibited to consume alcohol, dairy, flour, and sweet foods. Eat porridge cooked in water, boiled fish and meat, drink jelly;
For gastrointestinal diseases, use the “Table No. 1” diet. The principle of nutrition is to limit the intake of salt, eliminating spicy and fried foods. Dishes are baked and steamed. Meals are used in fractional doses, 5-6 times a day. The food temperature should be comfortable. Vegetables, cereals, low-fat broths, boiled meat, and lean fish are allowed for consumption.

Disease or condition that causes beer diarrhea	Method of treatment
Drinking in excess	Stop drinking beer, take a sorbent (Activated carbon, Polysorb), drink plenty of fluids, and eat a gentle diet.
Disturbance of the gastrointestinal microflora due to exposure to ethanol	Taking probiotics: Linex, Bifidumbacterin.
Exacerbation of chronic stomach diseases	The underlying disease is treated.
Allergic reactions	Antihistamines (Suprastin). Allergy symptoms will go away once the allergen stops coming in.

What diseases may indicate an upset stomach after drinking beer?

In addition to beer diarrhea, the patient may be concerned about deterioration in general condition, sleep disturbances, pain, and stomach cramps. When determining the cause, consider the foods that were consumed in conjunction with the foamy drink.

If you have diseases of the stomach, intestines, or liver, refrain from drinking alcohol even in small quantities.

Disease	Symptoms
Gastritis – impaired production of gastric juice	Heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Pancreatitis – inflammation of the pancreas	Loose stools with remnants of undigested food, acute pain in the abdomen, right hypochondrium, rapid heartbeat, the patient feels nauseous, and possible vomiting.
Enterocolitis – inflammation of the small and large intestines	Pain in the navel area, stool disturbance, flatulence, dyspepsia.
Acute hepatitis - liver damage	Loss of appetite, bitterness in the mouth, white stool.
Stomach and duodenal ulcers - erosion of the mucous membranes due to increased release of hydrochloric acid	With a stomach ulcer, pain occurs after eating; with a duodenal ulcer, the stomach hurts in a state of hunger.
Allergic reactions	Diarrhea, skin rash, fever.
Infectious diseases (use of expired drink, violation of storage conditions)	Feces mixed with mucus and foam, vomiting, increased body temperature.
Dysbacteriosis	Stool upset, belching, pain in the epigastric region, flatulence, bloating.

If you have diarrhea with blood in your stool, an increase in body temperature, or no improvement within 3 days, you should call a doctor. Diseases of the stomach and liver require diagnosis; do not self-medicate.

Possible complications and prevention

With constant consumption of beer drinks, complications are possible:

Metabolism is disrupted.
Due to the increased content of phytoestrogens, a person’s hormonal status changes.
The drink puts a strain on the liver and kidneys.
Alcohol addiction occurs.
Ulcer, gastritis, liver cirrhosis.

Prevention of beer diarrhea:

To avoid running to the toilet from the beer pub, control the amount of drink you drink;
buy fresh draft beer, it contains fewer chemical additives;
monitor the expiration dates of the product;
The best way to prevent this is to give up alcoholic beverages. If a person decides to continue drinking beer, then to minimize the consequences it is necessary to follow a gentle diet excluding dairy products;
snack on foods with minimal additives. For a snack, walnuts and a few rye crackers are suitable;
do not combine with other alcohol.

To prevent diarrhea from starting the next day, it is important to observe moderation when drinking alcohol. One to three glasses of natural beer a week is not dangerous and gives vigor, warms you up, and supplies the body with vitamins B1, B2, PP.

There are enough beer lovers in our country. According to statistics, every average Russian (including women and children) consumes about 60 liters of foamy drink per year. This is not as much as in the Czech Republic or Germany, but the figure is still impressive. There is nothing to be happy about here: despite the manufacturers’ assurances that beer is absolutely harmless, the consequences of its active consumption cannot be considered positive. Let's talk about the negative effects that the popular drink has on the body.

Beer is not a strong drink, but some varieties contain up to 14% alcohol. This means that when consuming 1 liter of beer, a person receives the amount of alcohol contained in 100 ml of vodka - and this in combination with liquid that is in the process of active fermentation. Such a “cocktail” corrodes the gastric mucosa, while simultaneously poisoning the body with alcohol breakdown products.

It has been clinically proven that in a person who constantly consumes beer, gastric juice first becomes thick and slimy, and then generally ceases to be produced in the required quantity, as a result of which food passes from the stomach into the intestines in a partially digested form. Classic symptoms of alcoholic gastritis appear: a feeling of heaviness and pain in the abdomen, problems with stool, a feeling of bitterness in the mouth. As a result, performance decreases, general weakness and depression occur.

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The danger of drinking beer is that it is usually drunk in large quantities. In this case, the liver receives serious overload, especially since a decent dose of alcohol is usually accompanied by a specific snack consisting of dried or smoked fish, or (even worse) crackers, chips and other products that contain synthetic flavors, preservatives, and flavor enhancers and a huge amount of salt. If such episodes are repeated regularly, the liver can no longer cope with removing toxins from the body.

Beer drinkers often have cases of chronic hepatitis, which remains asymptomatic for a long time. The result may be the development of liver cirrhosis. The popular drink causes no less harm to the pancreas: under its influence, the secretion of enzymes is disrupted, on which the processes of breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients depend.

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Everyone knows that beer has a diuretic effect. But it's not just about the problems associated with the need to empty the bladder frequently. With such active urination, substances necessary for life are washed away. In addition, when consuming “beer” snacks, the body receives excess salt, which tends to bind and retain water. As a result, the mechanism for maintaining water-salt and acid-base balance begins to malfunction. This leads to pain and weakness in the legs, increased susceptibility to colds, and impaired heart function.

Beer alcoholism can also result in organic damage: vascular sclerosis, hemorrhage and renal infarction, and death of kidney tissue.

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When drinking beer, alcohol is absorbed into the blood very quickly, causing instant dilation of blood vessels. Constant exposure to this kind provokes not only the development of varicose veins, but also the expansion of the chambers of the heart. In this case, a characteristic picture is observed on the x-ray, which experts call “bull (beer) heart syndrome” (“nylon stocking syndrome”). The heart wall becomes flabby and swollen with fat on the outside.

Beer alcoholics often complain of heart rhythm disturbances, weakness, shortness of breath, and exercise intolerance. The risk of developing coronary heart disease, heart failure, heart attacks and strokes is very high for them.

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Hormonal instability

In the production of beer, hop cones are used, the extract of which gives the drink a pleasant bitter taste. However, this plant also contains phytoestrogens - substances that act on the body in almost the same way as female sex hormones. Drinking beer in excessive quantities causes hormonal imbalance in a man, leading to changes in the timbre of his voice and appearance. The notorious “beer belly” appears, as the body begins to store fat, depositing it in the “female” areas, the volume of the mammary glands increases, and body hair decreases. Suppression of testosterone production causes decreased libido and weakened potency.

- one of the most insidious drinks, primarily due to the fact that it is usually consumed in large quantities. Excessive beer consumption leads to serious health problems.

1. Beer is harmful to the stomach

Beer is not a highly alcoholic drink, but some varieties contain up to 12-14% pure alcohol. This means that when drinking 1 liter of beer, you drink more than 100 ml of alcohol, and all this along with the liquid that is in a state of fermentation. This “explosive mixture” corrodes the gastric mucosa and also poisons the body with decay products.

Numerous studies have proven that people who regularly drink beer have digestive problems. The reason is that beer thickens gastric juice, which makes digestion worse. This is how alcoholic gastritis develops, accompanied by abdominal pain, stool disturbances and a feeling of bitterness in the mouth.

2. How beer harms the liver

Like any other alcoholic drink, beer damages the liver. The danger of beer is that it is usually consumed in large quantities. The liver receives a heavy load not only from alcohol, but also from unhealthy food, which is often eaten with beer (smoked fish, chips, crackers). This beer snack is replete with preservatives, flavor enhancers and other additives that have a toxic effect on the liver.

People who frequently drink beer often have cases of chronic hepatitis, which remains asymptomatic for a long time.

As you know, beer has a pronounced diuretic effect. With such active secretion of urine, vital substances are washed out of the body. In addition, beer snacks containing a lot of salt contribute to the accumulation of fluid. Thus, the body receives a huge load, and the mechanism for maintaining water-salt balance malfunctions. Poorly functioning kidneys lead to swelling, fatigue and pain in the legs, frequent colds and impaired heart function.

In severe cases of beer alcoholism, organic disorders are also observed in the kidneys, leading to the death of kidney tissue.

4. Beer abuse and heart disease

When drinking beer, alcohol is very quickly absorbed into the blood, causing blood vessels to dilate. Frequent drinking of beer can lead to varicose veins, and in severe cases, dilation of the chambers of the heart, which is clearly visible on an x-ray.

With beer alcoholism, people often complain of irregular heart rhythms, weakness and shortness of breath even with the slightest physical exertion. In such cases, the risk of developing coronary heart disease increases significantly.

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5. Beer disrupts hormonal levels

As you know, hops are used in the production of beer, which gives the drink a characteristic bitter taste. But hops contain a large amount of phytoestrogens - plant analogues of female ones. If beer is consumed in large quantities, this can lead to changes in the hormonal status of men. There may even be changes in appearance (she becomes more feminine) and voice timbre. The size of the mammary glands also increases, and fat begins to be deposited on the hips and buttocks.

Arkady Galanin