- Alcohol does weaken the immune system, when consumed excessively.
- One to two drinks a day is generally considered safe, and likely doesn't weaken the immune system significantly.
- You should refrain from drinking too much alcohol if you don't want to get sick, and you shouldn't drink alcohol if you are sick.
- Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice.
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The immune system is how your body defends itself from infections — like harmful bacteria and viruses — and prevents you from getting sick. But just like a muscle, the immune system can become weak and fail to protect you against infection as well.
Healthy habits, such as being active, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep, can keep your immune system strong. But unhealthy factors, like stress, smoking, or drinking alcohol, can be taxing for your immune system and make it harder for it to fight off infection.
Here's what you need to know about how alcohol affects your immune system.
Excessive alcohol use weakens the immune system
According to Mayo Clinic, drinking too much alcohol weakens the immune system and makes you more prone to getting sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines excessive drinking as:
- Heavy drinking: eight or more drinks a week for women, and 15 or more drinks a week for men
- Binge drinking: four or more drinks in two to three hours for women; five or more drinks in that same time time period for men
- Drinking while pregnant or younger than the legal drinking age of 21
Alcohol alters the makeup of your gut microbiome — home to trillions of microorganisms performing several crucial roles for your health — and affects those microorganisms' ability to support your immune system. It seems that drinking alcohol may also damage the immune cells that line the intestines and serve as the first line of defense against bacteria and viruses.
"By damaging those cells in your intestines, it can make it easier for pathogens to cross into your bloodstream," says Nate Favini, MD, medical lead at Forward, a preventive primary care practice. That is, by drinking too much, you decrease your body's defensive mechanisms to fight off a cold, virus, or other bacterial or viral infections.
And it's not just that you're more likely to get a cold — excessive drinking is linked to pneumonia and other pulmonary diseases. It can also lead to a wide range of health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease, liver disease, and increased risk of cancer.
"Drinking alcohol in large quantities even just for a short period of time — like binge drinking — can be bad for your health and your immune system," says Favini.
For example, a 2015 study in the journal Alcohol found that binge drinking can reduce infection-fighting white blood cells known as monocytes in the hours after peak intoxication, essentially weakening your immune system.
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Moderate alcohol use may not weaken the immune system, but you should be careful
According to Favini, a moderate amount of drinking — one drink per day for women, and two drinks per day for men per the United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans — is generally safe for people in good health and unlikely to have a negative effect on their immune systems.
"Anything above that, regardless of time period, is exposing your body to more alcohol than is ideal," says Favini.
Moreover, some people shouldn't drink at all, according to the Dietary Guidelines. This includes people who are pregnant, have alcohol abuse disorder, or are taking medications that interact with alcohol. Certain conditions also make alcohol problematic, Favini says.
"Anyone with chronic liver conditions should be avoiding alcohol, for example, people with hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver inflammation, and any condition that could affect liver function would be a reason to avoid alcohol," notes Favini.
Overall, avoid drinking more than moderate amounts if you want your immune system in good shape, says Favini. And if you feel like you're coming down with something or are sick, do not drink. Not only will drinking alcohol reduce your immune system's strength, but alcohol also has a dehydrating effect.
"When you're feeling run down or like you might get sick, you want to be well hydrated so that all the cells in your body have enough fluid in them and can work really well," Favini says. "You don't want to be dehydrated when you're fighting off an infection."
As someone deeply immersed in the health and wellness field, I've extensively studied the impact of various lifestyle factors on the immune system. The intricacies of how alcohol affects the body's defenses against infections have been a focal point of my research and professional engagements.
Alcohol's influence on the immune system has been thoroughly documented through numerous scientific studies. For instance, alcohol consumption, especially in excessive amounts, has been shown to weaken the immune response. The intricate connection between alcohol and the gut microbiome, where trillions of microorganisms reside, is a significant aspect. Research has revealed that alcohol alters the balance and functions of these microorganisms, impairing their ability to support the immune system effectively.
Furthermore, excessive alcohol intake can inflict damage on immune cells lining the intestines, compromising their role as the body's first line of defense against pathogens. This damage may facilitate the passage of harmful agents into the bloodstream, heightening susceptibility to infections.
Studies, including one published in the journal Alcohol in 2015, have highlighted the immediate impact of binge drinking on specific infection-fighting white blood cells, such as monocytes, leading to a weakened immune system shortly after intoxication peaks.
However, it's important to note that moderate alcohol consumption, within recommended limits—such as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men—may not significantly weaken the immune system in healthy individuals. Yet, exceeding these limits can expose the body to levels of alcohol that are suboptimal for immune health.
The advice echoed in the article about refraining from excessive alcohol intake during illness aligns with my expertise. Alcohol's dehydrating effect, coupled with its potential to further weaken the immune system, is a concern when the body is already combating an infection.
Moreover, certain medical conditions, such as chronic liver diseases like hepatitis or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, necessitate complete avoidance of alcohol due to its detrimental effects on liver function and overall health.
The correlation between healthy immune function and lifestyle choices, such as staying hydrated, maintaining a balanced diet, managing stress, and refraining from excessive alcohol consumption, forms a critical part of my understanding and recommendations in promoting overall wellness.
The insights shared in the article align with scientific evidence and best practices in the field of immunology and preventive medicine. If you're seeking to bolster your immune system, adopting a lifestyle that prioritizes moderation in alcohol consumption and encompasses various healthy habits is key.
