Alcoholism and its Effects on Gut Microbiome

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Introduction

This illustration depicts a three-dimensional (3D), computer-generated image, of a group of Gram-positive, Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus) bacteria. The photo credit for this image belongs to Alissa Eckert, who is a medical illustrator at the CDC.


By Nikola Kovacova

The gut microbiota is classified as a collection of all microbial organisms within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).[1] With trillions of microorganisms inhabiting the microbiota, its collective genome is believed to encode 100 times more genes than the human genome.[2]This makes it not only a complex, but also an essential player involved in the health status of the GIT, as it impacts digestion, inflammation, and immunity.[3]The microbiota–host relationship is mutualistic - the microbiota contributes to the extraction of energy from various sources, boosts synthesis of vitamins and amino acids, and assists with the formation of barriers against pathogens.[4]This relationship, however, is highly sensitive towards imbalances in microbial composition that can often lead to a decrease in overall well-being of the host.[5]This imbalance, referred to as dysbiosis, can be easily caused by environmental factors incorporated into the lives of countless people in contemporary Western societies, especially their diet. Diets high in fat and sugar have serious negative consequences on the microbiota composition and diversity, contributing to the development of obesity and liver injury, as well as multiple diseases such as IBD, IBS, celiac disease, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, food allergies, and cardiovascular disease.[5]

This page focuses on one specific dietary disruptor of the gut microbiota, namely. Alcohol. Alcoholism is a worldwide problem with implications far beyond the healthcare sector, as drastic social, financial, and interpersonal consequences in the life of the person stricken with alcoholism often occur. In 2018, The World Health Organization has revealed that excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for 3 million deaths yearly and over astonishing 280 million people globally have a diagnosed alcohol use disorder.It has been well-established that the toxicity of the alcohol itself is associated with formation of various health complications. These might be tissue injury and organ dysfunction, higher risk of developing cancer, or abnormal function of the immune system that increases the risk of acute and chronic infections.[6]This review is interested in addressing alcohol’s specific impact on the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), the compositional and functional changes it induces, and corresponding health-related issues.

How to Analyze the Intestinal Microbial Population?

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==Alcohol as a Culprit of Dysbiosis in the Intestinal Microbiota == Include some current research, with at least one figure showing data.

Alcohol as a Culprit of Dysbiosis in the Intestinal Microbiota

Include some current research, with at least one figure showing data.

Alcohol-Induced Diseases of the GIT

Possible Treatments and Therapeutic Interventions

Conclusion

References

  1. ↑ Savage, D.C. "Microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract." Annual review of microbiology, 31, 107–133.
  2. ↑ Qin, J., Li, R., Raes, J., Arumugam, M., Burgdorf, K. S., Manichanh, C., Nielsen, T., Pons, N., Levenez, F., Yamada, T., Mende, D. R., Li, J., Xu, J., Li, S., Li, D., Cao, J., Wang, B., Liang, H., Zheng, H., Xie, Y., … Wang, J. (2010). "A human gut microbial gene catalogue established by metagenomic sequencing." Nature, 464(7285), 59–65.
  3. ↑ Leclercq, S., de Timary, P., Delzenne, N. M., & Stärkel, P. (2017). "The link between inflammation, bugs, the intestine and the brain in alcohol dependence." Translational psychiatry, 7(2), e1048.
  4. ↑ Tappenden, K. A., & Deutsch, A. S. (2007). "The physiological relevance of the intestinal microbiota--contributions to human health." Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 26(6), 679S–83S.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kim, B. S., Jeon, Y. S., & Chun, J. (2013). "Current status and future promise of the human microbiome." Pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology & nutrition, 16(2), 71–79.
  6. ↑ Szabo, G., & Mandrekar, P. (2009). A recent perspective on alcohol, immunity, and host defense. Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research, 33(2), 220–232.



Authored for BIOL 238 Microbiology, taught by Joan Slonczewski, 2023, Kenyon College

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