Beyond Trim: A look at link between alcohol and weight gain

If you’re trying to lose weight you may want to rethink the cocktails.

There are several ways that alcohol can contribute to excess body fat and make it difficult to lose weight. The most obvious way that alcohol affects weight is in the calories it contains. At 7 calories per gram, it is almost twice as many calories by weight than carbohydrates or protein. And while alcohol provides calories, it provides very little in the way of nutrients.

It’s not just the calories in alcohol but the order in which your body uses those calories that’s the problem. Your body sees alcohol as a toxin and digests it first, before food, so that the body can rid itself of the toxin. If your body is using the calories from alcohol for energy first, it will save calories from the food you eat as fat.

A by-product of alcohol metabolization is acetaldehyde, another toxic chemical. Alcohol and acetaldehyde can damage cells like the ones lining your stomach, gut, and in the liver. When those cells are damaged it can affect the way your body’s ability to digest carbohydrates and fat.

Alcohol also changes the way brain cells look and function, which affects your thinking. Drinking lowers inhibitions and can lead to poor decision-making when it comes to food. Some studies also suggest that alcohol consumption can trigger hunger signals in the brain; urging you to eat more food.

Drinking alcohol can also affect hormones and other processes in in the body. Testosterone is one of the hormones that can be lowered with excessive alcohol intake. Low testosterone in men (and women!) can hinder muscle building and fat burning capabilities.

And while some people will use alcohol as a nightcap for its calming and sedative abilities, it can disrupt our sleep. Disrupted sleep or sleep deprivation affects hunger and fullness signals and the way we store energy (fat).

Alcohol intake of all levels can lead to impaired digestion and absorption of nutrients and affect the metabolism of organs that play a role in weight management. And alcohol intake affects not just your weight but many other risk factors for disease and mortality. Moderate to heavy drinking (3-4 or more drinks per day) increases risk for accidents, violence, risky sexual behaviors, high blood pressure, and various cancers (e.g., oral, liver, and breast cancer). The risk of these harms increases with the amount of alcohol you drink.

Another important point to make about alcohol intake and your health is that alcohol can impair immune function. Just one episode of heavy drinking can lower your immunity for a day or more, making you more susceptible infection and communicable diseases.

Sherry DeWalt is the healthy lifestyles coordinator for the CGH Health Foundation in Sterling.