Why does drinking cause diarrhea

Just like a hangover, the best way to prevent next-day diarrhoea is to abstain from alcohol altogether or moderate your drinking. But if you do plan on having a boozy night , try and eat a hearty, balanced meal beforehand, and alternate between alcohol and water. And if the runs last longer than a day, best to go see a doctor. To learn more about how alcohol and other substances affect your health, and the main health issues impacting young Aussies, visit medibank.

Previous article. Next article. Giving our customers choice in where they would like to receive their end-of-life care can provide dignity, privacy and help them retain control over the care they receive. Health Insights This is why you get the runs after drinking Excessive drinking has many side-effects, including next-day diarrhoea. Why does it happen? Who gets diarrhoea after drinking? Can I run from the runs? Written by Medibank. Previous article The state of chronic health conditions in Australia.

Next article UTI's: How you get them and how to treat them. While one or two drinks may not wreak havoc on your digestive system, a heavy bout of drinking can definitely mess with your intestines. Alcohol is ingested and transported through your GI gastrointestinal tract, and can have a significant impact on your gut health.

If you already have a GI tract disorder, such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS , alcohol can also worsen your symptoms. Drinking causes multiple changes to your GI tract that can result in diarrhea, including:. Not to mention that you might make worse dietary choices while drinking, making the situation even worse.

Beer and wine pose a higher risk than hard liquors like vodka and whiskey. Beverages with lower alcohol concentration, like beer and wine, speed up GI tract activity. This increases the chances of diarrhea and other stomach issues. Such drinks also increase the production of gastric acid, which can irritate your stomach.

Some people may also be allergic to certain compounds in wine, which can increase the risk of intestinal issues. Drinks that have a higher alcohol concentration, like vodka, whiskey, and other types of liquor, slow down GI tract activity. They also have less impact on gastric acid production. This makes these beverages an improvement over wine and beer. However, the alcohol itself can still disrupt your digestive process. On top of this, sugary mixers which are often combined with these liquors can have their own laxative effect.

It is normal for your digestive tract to take a few days to return to normal after an episode of heavy drinking. However, if your diarrhea lasts longer than this, you should see a doctor.

Prolonged diarrhea can lead to other health problems, such as malnutrition, dehydration, and weight loss. If you are a heavy drinker, you may have diarrhea more frequently and for prolonged periods of time.

This can be a sign of ongoing damage to your GI tract from heavy alcohol use. Liver damage can also throw your gut health out of balance, and diarrhea is a symptom of liver cirrhosis.

If you drink often, and consistently have diarrhea, it may be a good idea to check with your doctor about the cause and find a way to quit or cut back. There are a couple of things you can do to reduce the risk of getting diarrhea when you drink alcohol:. Hangovers, dehydration, and even mood swings are all par for the course when over-imbibing. But there is another potential outcome from drinking alcohol that you might not have seen coming: diarrhea. Short answer: Yes, it can. Plus, the ethanol found in alcohol increases gut movement, meaning that your wine or homemade margarita are fast-tracked through your system to your colon before being fully digested.

Sonpal says. However, the poo-inducing effects of alcohol depends on a few factors, says Dr. Sonpal, besides the individual themselves and what typically can irritate their bowels. So drinks with a higher ABV per serving, like whiskey, tequila, and vodka, might contribute to post-drinking loose stools more than, say, wine. The drink's composition also can play a role. Looking for a better-for-you alcohol option? Again, diarrhea after drinking depends on a lot of factors, including what a person drank and how much.

But Dr.