Could Excessive Consumption Of Coffee, Alcohol or Medicines Harm Your Gut Health?

A healthy gut enables proper digestion of nutrients and a balance of microbiota. The smooth functioning of the nervous and immune systems of the body is strongly interconnected with the digestive system. The gut flora is known as the home to over 100 trillion bacteria. But did you know several diet-related factors tend to have detrimental effects on your gut health? According to an article published in The Indian Express, coffee, alcohol and medicines might have harmful effects on your gut.

According to the article, coffee has become an essential part of our daily lives. Coffee might affect gut health, depending on its daily intake. As per the US Food and Drug Administration, the recommended intake of maximum coffee is 400 milligrams.

Keeping coffee consumption limited to two or three cups a day can be beneficial for health as it improves bowel movements, lower inflammation and faster gastrointestinal recovery after abdominal surgery. But excessive consumption can lead to the relaxation of the lower oesophagal sphincter (LOS). This may allow food to travel backwards, triggering indigestion and heartburn in some people.

Alcohol is known to trigger severe gastrointestinal problems and colon inflammation in the gut. Excessive amounts of alcohol affect the stomach and digestive tract in different ways. Like coffee, alcohol also weakens LOS and makes the stomach produce more acid than usual. Alcohol and its metabolite acetaldehyde affect the liver and are even classified as cancer-causing agents.

Medicines can also have various effects on the gut. Many times they may produce drug toxicity in the gastrointestinal tract and cause a leaky gut. They interfere with bacterial balance in the gut, leading to serious digestive problems. At times, medicines irritate the intestinal mucosa too, which leads to an imbalance in the gut microbiota.