This triggers cell signaling cascades that enable your defenses to engulf invaders, release antibodies to mark them for destruction and activate other immune cells. It’s made up of different specialized forces such as does drinking alcohol lower your immune system cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect your body. Ultimately, the key lies in moderation and making informed choices about our alcohol consumption. By adopting a balanced lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress management, we can support our immune systems effectively. From weakening the immune system to increasing the risk of life-threatening conditions like ARDS, alcohol’s effects on respiratory health are far-reaching and often underestimated.

Ethanol Metabolism

Since DNA controls cell function and growth, damaged DNA can cause cells to grow uncontrollably and develop tumors. Vitamin E is one of the most effective antioxidants and its deficiency exacerbates freeradical damage impairing the ability of T cells to respond to pathogenic challenge (Mocchegiani, Costarelli et al. 2014). Similarly, vitamin C, also an antioxidant, is important for phagocytic activity of neutrophils and monocytes, and enhances T cell responses alcohol rehab (Strohle and Hahn 2009). Thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, contributes to the activation of T cells, suppresses oxidative stress-induced NFκB activation in macrophages, and serves as an anti-inflammatory factor (Manzetti, Zhang et al. 2014).

Substance Use Treatment

She cautions there are many people who have trouble controlling their consumption. Alcohol Use Disorder, which falls along a spectrum and can be mild, moderate or severe, can be treated with medications and therapy. Leitz says many people who struggle with alcohol find abstaining is most effective. This could be due to hormones or differences in the way females metabolize alcohol. For instance, when a woman and a man of the same weight consume the same amount of alcohol, the woman’s blood alcohol concentrations will tend to rise higher, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Damages your physical defenses

Alcohol affects the reflexes that protect the lungs from aspiration—the accidental inhalation of food, liquid, or stomach acid into the airways. A specific type of pneumonia, called aspiration pneumonia, occurs when someone accidentally breathes in food or fluid that contains bacteria. Alcohol makes people vomit, and it is very easy to accidentally inhale some of this vomit.

Contact Gateway Foundation to learn more about how we can help you or your loved one pursue recovery. If you drink twice or week or less and only drink two to three drinks per occasion, your immune system may not be at a high risk of damage. If you find it challenging to limit or stop your alcohol intake, it may be time to seek help for alcohol addiction. As soon as you drink a sip of alcohol, your body begins to prioritize breaking down alcohol.

• After all, there’s no drink, no party, and no fleeting buzz worth compromising your ability to breathe freely.
• It’s caused by a bacterial infection that begins elsewhere in the body, such as in the gut, lungs, skin, bladder, or kidneys, and enters the bloodstream.
• Factors such as the amount of alcohol a person drinks, how often a person drinks, the type of alcohol they drink, and whether they are biologically male or female can increase or decrease how much it affects their immune system.
• However, similarly to the in vitro studies described above, at 2 and 5 hours post-binge the numbers of circulating monocytes were reduced and levels of antiinflammatory IL-10 levels were increased (Afshar, Richards et al. 2014).
• Ohio State Health & Discovery brings this expertise together to deliver today’s most important health news and the deeper story behind the most powerful topics that affect the health of people, animals, society and the world.

The Bottle and Bacteria

As cold and flu season approaches, combined with the ongoing presence of COVID-19, maintaining a healthy immune system is essential. For those who consume alcohol regularly, it’s important to understand how alcohol can weaken immune responses, making you more susceptible to these seasonal illnesses. This article explores the relationship between alcohol and immune function, highlighting how alcohol use disorder (AUD) and even moderate drinking can compromise the body’s ability to fight off infections.

• It seems that drinking alcohol may also damage the immune cells that line the intestines and serve as the first line of defense against bacteria and viruses.
• With regard to cell-mediated immunity, a reduction in CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ cell numbers has been found after chronic alcohol administration in male ratsReference Boyadjieva, Dokur, Advis, Meadows and Sarkar19.
• Health authorities, including the World Health Organization, have warned that excessive alcohol intake can increase complications from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19.
• With the increased focus on wellness and preventative health strategies, we are more aware of how our lifestyle choices influence our overall well-being.

Contact Gateway Foundation for Help With Alcohol Addiction

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines moderate drinking as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. By staying within these limits, we can help mitigate the negative effects on our immune system. Research has also highlighted the relationship between alcohol consumption and specific health conditions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health authorities, including the World Health Organization, have warned that excessive alcohol intake can increase complications from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. Together, we will delve into the science behind how alcohol impacts our immune system, the short- and long-term effects of drinking, and practical steps we can take to support our immunity.

Health Benefits and Risks of Alcohol

Alcohol can suppress our innate immunity, which serves as the body’s frontline defense. This means infections like colds or the flu might last longer if alcohol has been consumed, as the immune cells’ ability to combat these pathogens is hampered. Women are typically more vulnerable to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases than men, and men have a higher risk of infections than women. Women are less vulnerable to infections because they have higher levels of estrogen during their pre-menopausal years, which helps the body boost the immune system and fight disease. A urinary tract infection is an infection in the urethra, bladder, or kidneys. Alcohol does not directly cause UTIs, but it can increase a person’s risk of developing a UTI and worsen the symptoms of an existing UTI.