The effects of alcohol consumption upon the gastrointestinal tract

Regardless of the type and dose of beverage involved, alcohol facilitates the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease by reducing the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter and esophageal motility. Fermented and nondistilled alcoholic beverages increase gastrin levels and acid secretion....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American journal of gastroenterology Vol. 95; no. 12; pp. 3374 - 3382
Main Author BUJANDA, Luis
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford Blackwell Publishing 01.12.2000
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Subjects
Alcohol Drinking
Alcoholic Beverages - adverse effects
Bacterial Infections - physiopathology
Biological and medical sciences
Digestive System Neoplasms - etiology
Gastritis - etiology
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Gastroesophageal Reflux - etiology
Gastrointestinal Motility - drug effects
Humans
Intestinal Absorption - drug effects
Medical sciences
Other diseases. Semiology
Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus
Wine - adverse effects
Consumption
Human
Toxicology
Association
Dysfunction
Etiopathogenesis
Risk factor
Digestive diseases
Alcohol
Complication
Gastrointestinal
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Regardless of the type and dose of beverage involved, alcohol facilitates the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease by reducing the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter and esophageal motility. Fermented and nondistilled alcoholic beverages increase gastrin levels and acid secretion. Succinic and maleic acid contained in certain alcoholic drinks also stimulate acid secretion. Low alcohol doses accelerate gastric emptying, whereas high doses delay emptying and slow bowel motility. Alcohol facilitates the development of superficial gastritis and chronic atrophic gastritis--though it has not been shown to cause peptic ulcer. Alcoholic beverages, fundamentally wine, have important bactericidal effects upon Helicobacter pylori and enteropathogenic bacteria. The main alcohol-related intestinal alterations are diarrhea and malabsorption, with recovery after restoring a normal diet. Alcohol facilitates the development of oropharyngeal, esophageal, gastric, and colon cancer. Initial research suggests that wine may be comparatively less carcinogenic.
ISSN:0002-9270
1572-0241
DOI:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2000.03347.x