4 Reasons for an Upset Stomach After Drinking Alcohol
The stomach is the organ in the digestive system that breaks down the chewed-up food. The function of the stomach is to break down this food enough so that when it enters the small intestine the maximum amount of nutrients can be absorbed from the food. The stomach has two important mechanisms to break this food down. Stomach acid which is has a strong pH of about 3 which can break down most foods very easily. The stomach also churns and mixes the food around to make the chewed bites even smaller. Knowing the basics of the stomach is important to understand how alcohol can disturb the stomach and create some unwelcoming symptoms like nausea and vomiting.
Here are 4 reasons for an upset stomach after drinking alcohol
1. Increased Stomach Acid
As mentioned, the job of the stomach acid is to help break down the chewed-up food you ate. This acid has a very low pH, meaning it is highly acidic, and when you drink alcohol, this can promote the production of stomach acid. Because the stomach acid is powerful and can damage the rest of the body, the stomach has a lining around it to protect the acid from leaking. When the production is increased, this can irritate the lining of the stomach because the lining can only handle so much at a time. This irritation can contribute to why you have an upset stomach after drinking alcohol. Surprisingly, beer and wine which have lower ethanol content have the most stimulating effect on gastric acid production. Complications of increased stomach acid can lead to nausea or vomiting.
Source: 15706765, 15706734, 8314520
2. Change in Gastric Emptying
Change in gastric emptying speed is another reason why you have an upset stomach after drinking alcohol. When we digest food, it first needs to be broken down in the stomach, and then the food mixture will be sent to the small intestine so that the nutrients can be absorbed. The food should not sit in the stomach for too long or for too short of a time. If the food sits in the stomach for too short of a time then it won’t be broken down enough and the nutrients won’t be efficiently absorbed in the intestine. Beverages with low alcohol concentrations (beer and wine) will act in this way. These drinks will speed up gastric emptying resulting in some undigested food entering the small intestine. This causes bloating and gas pains because the intestine will get irritated trying to absorb nutrients from the food that isn’t digested. In the case of beverages with a high alcohol percentage above 15%, they will do the opposite. These drinks will inhibit gastric emptying causes the food to digest for too long in the stomach. This can create feelings of nausea or vomiting because when food doesn’t enter the intestines in a sufficient amount of time, the body thinks something is wrong and will promote stomach pain.
Source: 27527893
FREE HAPPY HORMONE MEAL PLAN:
3. Poor Functioning of Esophageal Sphincter
The next reason why you have an upset stomach after drinking alcohol is because of the poor functioning of the esophageal sphincter. Connecting the esophagus and the stomach is the esophageal sphincter. It acts as a door, so when food is swallowed the door opens, and when the food enters the stomach it should be closed. The sphincter closes when food enters the stomach to prevent the highly acidic stomach acid from flowing back up the esophagus and causing damage to the lining. Unfortunately, alcohol can affect the sensitivity of this sphincter over the long term, which can lead to future acid reflux.
Source: 15706765, 15706734, 19162028
4. Blood Sugar Drops
Alcohol causes your blood sugar to drop which is another reason why you have an upset stomach after drinking alcohol. Stable blood sugar allows us to feel energized and have a steady flow of energy between mealtimes. When blood sugar drops too long then we feel fatigued, weak, hungry, and tired. Alcohol, even while eating food will still decrease blood sugar levels impacting your energy. Due to this, many times people will overeat after drinking because they feel tired and hungry due to low blood sugar. As mentioned, consuming more food while drinking may cause a worsened effect of stomach pain and nausea.
Source: 19485973
