Q&A: Healthy Alcohol Consumption

In this Q&A article series, Mountain Trek’s program creator and director, Kirkland Shave, answers health and hiking-related questions from previous retreat guests.

Q: I hear mixed messages about alcohol consumption. Can you please distill the current research?

Key Takeaway: Current research is showing the negative chemical effects of alcohol on healthspan, but there remain social and emotional benefits if consuming mindfully—practicing moderation and employing practices to curb the deleterious effects is key when imbibing.

A: From ancient China and Mesopotamia to the jungles of the Amazon, fermented drinks have been used in spiritual rituals, religious ceremonies, and social celebrations for millennia. Initially used to supplant poor-quality drinking water, alcohol has since become a beverage normalized across cultures and integrated into our daily lives as a means to reduce and manage stress. Recent research, however, has determined that “regular” consumption of alcohol has cumulative health risks.

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that for adults who choose to drink in moderation, women should not exceed one drink in a day, while men should consume a maximum of two drinks in a day. These amounts are not intended as an average but as a daily limit.

In the United States, a “standard drink” or “alcoholic drink equivalent” is any drink containing 14 grams (about 0.6 oz.) of “pure” ethanol. This equates to 12 oz. of regular beer (with 5% alc/vol), 5 oz. of table wine (with 12% alc/vol), or 1.5 oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits (with 40% alc/vol).

Alcohol’s Effects on our Brain and Body:

• Alcohol is water- and fat-soluble, making it toxic to every cell in the body and brain.
• Ethanol is poisonous. When our liver metabolizes it, one of the byproducts of the detoxification process is acetaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen.
• The combination of ethanol and the acetaldehyde makes us relaxed and tipsy by affecting neurons in our brain and prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is our executive functioning/filter area located behind the forehead. It is responsible for making decisions, thus our ability to do so can be compromised under the influence.
• The mental state of feeling at ease after 1-2 drinks is the result of an uptake in the feel-good hormone serotonin. However, alcohol toxins block the brain’s nerve synapsis to the neurotransmitter, so the state passes quickly, often resulting in the desire to have another beverage (and another, and another…).
• Regular daily or weekly alcohol consumption suppresses our immune system and contributes to long-term changes in healthspan. It negatively impacts neural chemistry, brain circuitry, as well as hormonal regulation and balance.
  • Stress: Our flight and fight survival hormone, cortisol, can become chronically elevated, contributing to an elevated stress levels when sober.
  • Brain: Gray matter noticeably thins with 1-2 drinks per day. Consuming 12-20 drinks per week leads to brain degeneration.
  • Gut Biome: Alcohol kills positive bacteria colonies and contributes to “leaky gut”. Leaky gut is when negative bacteria and undigested food particles pass through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream, increasing chronic inflammation.
  • Liver: The breakdown of alcohol creates an inflammatory response in the organ, and then throughout the body. The gut-liver-brain axis is negatively affected as the bacteria from a leaky gut combine with the inflammatory cytokines from the liver to affect neural circuits in the brain; making us want to drink more alcohol.
  • Vitamins: Alcohol disrupts vitamin synthesis and cellular absorption.
  • Hormones: Women and men experience increased estrogen levels and reduced testosterone levels.
  • Genetics: Ethanol is a mutagen that harms DNA and chromosomal genes, often creating and increasing tumor growth. According to the Mayo Clinic, any amount of drinking has a direct impact on the risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer. As consumption goes up, the risk for these cancers goes up.
  • Mitochondria: The cell’s energy producers are damaged by acetaldehyde. Regular alcohol consumption leads to damage and loss of mitochondria which leads to increased oxidation and inflammation-based diseases.
  • Sleep: Even after one drink, REM and non-REM sleep are disrupted and overall quality of sleep diminishes.
• Recent studies from the National Institute of Health suggest that drinking even in moderation increases the risk for stroke, cancer, and premature death.

Benefits of Alcohol Consumption:

• Red wine contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that contributes to lowering inflammation as an antioxidant. Grapes, blueberries, raspberries, and peanuts contain it in high concentrations.
• Alcohol is a social lubricant. For many, one drink can suppress inhibitions normally controlled by the prefrontal cortex, resulting in an overall sense of ease and well-being. Beware, though, that more than one can often increase impulsive or habitual behaviors.
• Alcoholic beverages can enhance the enjoyment of a meal when attention is given to the food it is paired with. This is true depending on the mindfulness employed to savor the drink and the food.  Alcohol, however, may not be the only drink that can please the taste buds—keeping an open mind to different beverages can help discover new flavor profiles and combinations.

Mountain Trek’s Summary:

• Finding a balance (even during the holidays) is key to a healthy relationship with alcohol.
• Consume alcohol with dinner so as to slow its absorption.
• Allow the liver at least 3 hours to process the ethanol before sleeping.
• Experiment with “0%” beverages during meals or at social events. A 2023 survey by Casinos.us revealed that 67% of Americans are actively reducing their alcohol consumption in the United States. 41% of drinkers surveyed reported that they were decreasing intake because they want a lifestyle change. About a third said they were cutting back for physical health reasons, and 23% were considering reducing consumption to improve their mental health.
• Eat lean and clean to offset the empty calories in alcoholic beverages.
• If choosing to consume, savor the experience—like a sommelier!

Note: Much of this health research was synthesized from Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford University.

What is Mountain Trek?

Rated one of the best wellness retreats in the world and located in the healing forest of British Columbia, Canada, Mountain Trek is a week-long immersive health reset program proven to dramatically transform your body, mind, and spirit. Whether you feel overworked, overweight, or just in need of time to unplug, slow down, and recharge, Mountain Trek is for you.

To learn how our award-winning health retreat can help you melt stress away, restore energy levels, burn fat, purge toxins, and return home revitalized, recharged, and years younger than when you arrived, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below: