Why Does Alcohol Make Me Bloated?

Abdominal bloating is when the stomach feels full of gas and may become distended (sticks out). The pressure or tightness in the abdomen can feel anywhere from mildly uncomfortable to really painful.

Bloating can happen after drinking alcoholic beverages for a variety of reasons. People who drink regularly may experience effects such as excess gas or even weight gain. If bloating after drinking becomes a problem, there may be ways to either get rid of it or avoid it in the first place.

Gastritis: The Inflammation That Causes Alcohol Bloating

The inner lining of the stomach can become irritated (called gastropathy) or inflamed (called gastritis). Stomach irritation or inflammation can occur for many reasons, such as infections, an autoimmune disorder, smoking cigarettes, food allergies, or some types of medications.

The symptoms of gastritis can include:

Alcoholic beverages can cause irritation or inflammation of the stomach lining. The irritation might be a condition called reactive gastropathy. This disruption of the stomach lining with the use of alcohol can become chronic (ongoing).

Some Beverages Cause Bloating Through a Buildup of Gas

Drinking certain types of beverages can lead to bloating. The most obvious might be carbonated drinks, such as beer or soda. Champagne, sparkling wine, and hard seltzer also contain carbonation that can lead to bloating. Taking in the carbonation leads to gas in the upper digestive system.

This excess gas could lead to bloating in the stomach and belching (burping). Beer is carbonated, so it can lead to excess gas in the stomach and bloating. Mixing alcoholic drinks with carbonated beverages (soda or seltzer) could also result in excess gas.

Sugar alcohols such as fructose, lactose, raffinose, and sorbitol are found in foods such as fruit. However, some sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, may also be in some processed foods and beverages to sweeten them.

These sugar alcohols are not fully digestible, so they pass into the colon, where they may be fermented by the bacteria there, which may lead to bloating. Low-calorie alcoholic drinks or beverages may contain sugar alcohols.

You Can Also Gain Weight From Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol has several effects on the body. One of these is the potential for unwanted weight gain.

In general, light to moderate drinking, even on a frequent basis, doesn’t increase the risk of developing obesity. Studies show that heavy drinking is associated with a risk of obesity. This potential for weight gain from heavier drinking might be especially true in teenagers and older adults.

Alcoholic beverages are usually considered empty calories. Beer, wine, and spirits don’t contain any nutrients, so they either add calories to the diet without any benefits or replace food or drink that do contain nutrients.

How Long Does Alcohol Bloating Last?

How long bloating and other symptoms after drinking alcohol will depend on how many drinks one had and what they were. Usually, without additional reasons for the symptoms, like a digestive condition, the bloating from alcoholic drinks might only last a few days or even less.

For example, drinking several beers in one night might lead to longer-lasting bloating. Someone who lives with a digestive problem (such as irritable bowel syndrome) might experience more bothersome or longer-lasting symptoms.

When there is actual irritation in the stomach from drinking, bloating or other symptoms might last longer. Drinking alcoholic beverages every day may extend the acute effects and continue the cycle of symptoms.

This could lead to chronic gastritis as the alcohol continuously damages the stomach lining. The stomach may become less effective at absorbing nutrients. People who drink excessively may also not eat enough. These effects can result in ongoing bloating and complications, such as nutritional deficiencies.

How to Get Rid of Alcohol Bloating

You can stop bloating from alcohol consumption by refraining from drinking alcohol. Or, you may keep drinking in moderation and avoid carbonated drinks or those with artificial sugars to see if this reduces bloating.

Other ways to reduce acute bloating quickly include:

• Herbal tea: Teas that include peppermint, chamomile, ginger, turmeric, or fennel may help move gas and relieve bloating. However, it’s important not to put additives into the tea that could continue causing gas, such as artificial sugars or alcohol.
• Peppermint oil: Peppermint oil capsules may help because they act on the smooth muscles of the digestive tract. They cause those muscles to relax, which could help relieve symptoms such as gas.
• Physical activity: Walking can help shift gas and get it to come out of the body through the bottom as flatulence or the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract as belches. However, if you are intoxicated, take care not to fall or cause an injury when walking or doing other exercise.
• Taking antacids: For some people, some over-the-counter (OTC) antacids could help move along trapped gas and relieve bloating.

Is Alcohol Bloating Preventable?

The only foolproof way to stop bloating from alcohol is not drinking in the first place.

Other than that, choosing drinks less likely to cause bloating is another option. Avoiding carbonation, artificial sugars, mixed drinks that include lots of ingredients, and drinking through a straw may all reduce the bloating that can occur after drinking.

Drinking slowly and avoiding binge drinking may also help lessen any potential symptoms. Having some food before or while having a drink may also help because it can keep the stomach feeling fuller and slow down how quickly it absorbs the alcohol.

However, even uncarbonated wine or spirits may cause bloating or other symptoms. Alcohol is an irritant.

Drinking water may also help with bloating or other symptoms. A good rule of thumb is to alternate between a glass of water and an alcoholic drink.

When Should You Seek Help for Drinking?

Alcohol use can contribute to the risk of death, as well as a host of other personal, familial, and societal problems. For that reason, it’s important to think about and monitor alcohol use to ensure that it doesn’t become a habit that leads to other difficulties.

Here are some signs that it may be time to reevaluate your relationship to drinking and/or seek help for alcohol use disorder:

• You have had times when you drink more or for longer than you intended.
• You have tried to cut back on drinking more than once and weren’t able to do it.
• You are sick or hung over often.
• You looked forward to drinking so much that you were unable to think of other things.
• Your drinking has caused problems at home, with family members, with your job, or at school.
• Problems with family or friends resulting from drinking haven’t stopped your drinking.
• You’ve stopped other activities you like in order to drink.
• Your drinking has led you to situations that put you at risk for injury, such as driving, swimming, using machinery, walking in a dangerous area, or unsafe sexual behavior.
• You are feeling depressed or anxious or are having other health problems, but you continue to drink.
• You have had blackouts or lost memories after drinking.
• You find you have to drink more to be intoxicated or that you are drinking more to get the effects of drinking that you want.
• If you stop drinking, you experience symptoms of withdrawal such as trouble sleeping, shakiness, restlessness, nausea, sweating, a racing heart, dysphoria (feeling uneasy or unhappy), malaise (general sense of feeling unwell), feeling low, or a seizure?

Summary

Alcoholic beverages can cause bloating for various reasons, including the type of drink, carbonation, its ingredients, and anything added to it. Although it may not be possible to avoid bloating and other symptoms after drinking, avoiding drinks that can cause bloating and cutting back on drinking may help.

There are some ways to reduce bloating, but individual results will vary. It’s important to monitor drinking behavior and consider how it affects health, relationships, and work or school.