These molecules help recruit and activate additional PMNs as well as macrophages to the site of an injury or infection. Researchers also have found, however, that the cytokine gamma-interferon (IFN-γ) plays a critical role in determining whether a Th1- or Th2-type response will dominate in alcohol-exposed monocytes. Recent studies showed that the presence of IFN-γ decreased alcohol-induced IL-10 production, thus canceling IL-10’s inhibition of IL-12 and thereby augmenting cell-mediated (i.e., Th1-type) immunity (Mandrekar et al. 1996; Szabo et al. 1996). This finding supports the demonstration by Flynn and Bloom (1996) that IFN-γ is essential to resistance against TB in mice. Vicente-Gutierrez and colleagues (1991) have reported decreased IFN-γ in chronic alcoholics, indicating that suppressed IFN-γ levels in alcoholics likely contribute to an impaired cell-mediated immune response during mycobacterial infection. The mechanisms by which moderate alcohol consumption might exert these beneficial effects are only beginning to emerge.
So if the liver’s immune system is unnecessarily activated due to heavy drinking, it can lead to liver disease. “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.
Alcohol’s Effects on Immunity
Tissue macrophages are given different names indicating their resident tissue such as Kupffer cells in the liver, microglia in the brain tissue, Langerhans cell in the skin, or alveolar macrophages in the lungs [156]. The other prominent phagocytizing population, PMNs or simply neutrophils, usually not present in healthy tissue, are located in bone marrow as they survive only a few days once released into circulation [157]. Consequently, they are used clinically to characterize infection, as a rising leukocyte population in peripheral blood is a solid indicator for an ongoing immune reaction [158]. Dendritic cells, either classical dendritic cells or plasmacytoid dendritic cells, ingest pathogens mainly to produce antigens and present them to effector cells such as lymphocytes [159]. The innate immunity has evolved during millions of years, and thus, equivalent or comparable components are found in most vertebrates, invertebrates, and even plants.
The body doesn’t have a way to store alcohol like it does with carbohydrates and fats, so it has to immediately send it to the liver, where it’s metabolized. “Alcohol intake can kill normal healthy gut bacteria, which help to promote health and reduce risk of infection,” Mroszczyk-McDonald said. Similarly, alcohol can trigger inflammation in the gut and destroy the microorganisms that live in the intestine and maintain immune system health. Alcohol has been flying off the shelves as people try to combat boredom during lockdown, with some reports estimating that alcoholic beverage sales surged by 55 percent toward the end of March. “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.
Long-term effects of alcohol on the immune system
Their article also highlights how the combined effect of alcohol and injury causes greater disruption to immune function than either challenge alone. Though there’s still limited data on the link between alcohol and COVID-19, past evidence shows alcohol consumption can worsen the outcomes from other respiratory illnesses by damaging the lungs and gut, and impairing the cells responsible for immune function. “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. 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. TNF-α, one of the inflammatory mediators derived primarily from macrophages, plays a major role in antimycobacterial defense (Nelson et al. 1995; Flynn and Bloom 1996). This cytokine directly inhibits mycobacterial growth in vitro, recruits additional inflammatory cells, and induces the action of other antimycobacterial mediators (e.g., nitric oxide and reactive oxygen radicals).
- In addition to laboratory studies confirming the impact of alcohol consumption on the innate immune system, several studies have looked at how heavy drinking can alter plasma cytokine levels.
- AICD likely results from decreased HSP90/eNOS association, which in turn attenuates the NO-stimulated cGMP/cAMP-dependent kinase activation pathway (Simet et al. 2013a; Wyatt and Sisson 2001).
- Significant differences between the immune system of the mouse—the primary model organism used in immune studies—and that of humans also complicate the translation of experimental results from these animals to humans.
- Mostly chronic alcohol consumption goes hand in hand with impaired macrophage and/or neutrophil functions.
- The findings indicate that G-CSF can prevent alcohol-induced deficits in neutrophil-dependent pulmonary defenses by increasing neutrophil production and bacterial killing function.
Similarly, the TNF-α levels produced in response to a challenge with a bacterial antigen were decreased in mice that had received a single dose of alcohol. Considering the pivotal role of TNF-α in the defense against microorganisms, impaired inflammatory cytokine production after acute alcohol exposure significantly compromises the body’s defense system. Alcoholics are considered “immuno-compromised hosts” because the incidence and severity of infections are increased in these patients.
Chantix and Alcohol: Why Mixing Them Isn’t Safe
The phagocytes display these antigens on their cell surface, together with certain of their own proteins known as major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins. In addition to the phagocytes, proteins of the complement system also recognize the invading bacteria and bind to proteins on the bacterial surface. This binding triggers several biochemical processes that eventually lead to the destruction of the bacteria. Additional studies in rodents assessed the effects of alcohol on the effectiveness of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, which protects against tuberculosis.
The adaptive immune system can be further subdivided into cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity. Whereas T-cells are primarily involved with cell-mediated immunity, B-cells play a major role in humoral immunity. Past does alcohol suppress immune system research shows alcohol consumption leads to more severe lung diseases, like adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and other pulmonary diseases, including pneumonia, tuberculosis, and respiratory syncytial virus.
Ethanol is primarily metabolized in the stomach and liver by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) (Zakhari 2006). Both enzymes convert alcohol to acetaldehyde, which is further metabolized to acetate by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in the mitochondria. Acetate is then released into the blood where it is oxidized to carbon dioxide in the heart, skeletal muscle, and brain (Zakhari 2006). Those who have any of the known risk factors for COVID-19, like heart disease or diabetes, should drink even less. The World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. surgeon general have warned people to avoid drinking too much alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drinking also makes it harder for your body to properly tend to its other critical functions, like fighting off a disease.
