Gut reaction to teenage booze binges
Study finds impact on cravings in later life
Binge drinking in the teenage years can cause changes in the gut that lead to alcohol cravings in later life, research has found.
Scientists at APC Microbiome Ireland in University College Cork made the discovery and yesterday revealed their findings.
They announced that alterations to microorganisms that live in the human digestive system can affect our short and long-term health.
Specifically, they believe that youth binge drinking causes alterations in the gut microbiome which has now been linked with cravings to consume alcohol.
Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks on one occasion for men or four or more for women.
The gut microbiome is our intestines which are full of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi and other microscopic living things — known as microbes — and are collectively known as the microbiome.
Now the latest research, claims that the gut microbiome appears to regulate functioning of the brain and emotions.
The research states that binge drinking could present short and long-term impacts on health and wellbeing, including a desire for more alcohol and also a poor ability to recognise emotions.
Alterations
Dr Carina Carbia of APC Microbiome Ireland said: “Binge drinking was associated with distinct microbiome alterations and emotional recognition difficulties.
“Associations were found for several microbiome species linked with emotional processing and impulsivity.”
A study of 71 young people was carried out to explore potential links between the gut microbiome and aspects of social cognition, impulsivity and craving in young binge drinkers.
Dr Carbia explained: “By focusing on young adults, at a crucial time of both brain and gutimmune development, we identified gut microbiome alterations linked to binge drinking in young people.
“The microbiome composition showed associations with social cognition and impulsivity, adding support to the growing evidence that the gut microbiome plays a key role in brain and behaviour.” Her colleague, Prof John
Cryan, added that this defined early alcohol misuse can lead to gut microbiome alterations even before an addiction might develop.
He said: “[This] highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in regulating craving, social cognition and emotional functioning. The findings support the development of microbiota-targeted diets or interventions to positively modulate gut-brain communication during this vulnerable period of adolescence before an addiction develops.”
The researchers examined if chronic alcohol intake reduces the variety and number of different species of bacteria in our gut.
That change is called dysbiosis and is detrimental to gut and overall health. Dieticians recommend eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to help support a healthy gut.
Alterations linked to binge drinking in young
DR CARINA CARBIA
ON STUDY FINDINGS