The holiday season is a time for excess, especially when it comes to alcohol. But this unrestrained consumption is not without risk, as a single episode of binge drinking could be enough to damage our intestinal barrier, according to a study published in the journal Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.
The effects of binge drinking
Binge drinking, which can be translated as "binge drinking," is defined as a pattern of rapid, heavy, and occasional alcohol consumption, generally with the aim of getting drunk. Specialists prefer the term binge drinking, or "heavy episodic alcohol consumption," and define it as the consumption of approximately four drinks for women and five drinks for men within two hours.
Although the alcohol consumption Although binge drinking has decreased among young people in recent years, it remains very prevalent in this population. Such a rapid influx promotes loss of control, increases the risk of alcohol poisoning, and can lead to memory deficits and psychiatric disorders.
But American researchers have investigated another harmful aspect of this excessive consumption: the phenomenon of "leaky gut." This involves a weakening of the intestinal lining, caused by alcohol, which impacts the intestine's filtering capacity, allowing bacteria and toxins to pass into the bloodstream.
"Even short periods can trigger inflammation."
Researchers and gastroenterologists at Harvard Medical School in Boston (USA) sought to decipher the mechanisms of this disruption in the different parts of the intestine. “ We know that excessive alcohol consumption can disrupt the gut and expose the liver to harmful bacterial byproducts, but surprisingly, almost nothing was known about how the small intestine reacts in the early stages.Dr. Gyongyi Szabo, co-author of the study, said in a statement.
Their experiments, conducted on mice, showed the appearance of lesions three hours after intense alcohol exposure. These lesions, primarily located in the upper part of the small intestine, remained present 24 hours after the last episode of binge drinking. The architecture of the intestinal mucosa was also affected.
Architecture of intestinal mucosal cells. Left: without alcohol consumption, right: 3 hours after the third episode of binge drinking. Credits: Scott B. Minchenberg et al., 2025.
By exploring this mechanism at the cellular level, researchers discovered that heavy alcohol consumption causes intestinal inflammation, mobilizing immune cells tasked with fighting pathogens. Some of these immune cells, neutrophils, then release NETs (Neutrophil Extracellular Traps), which act as nets to ensnare pathogenic microorganisms. However, these nets directly damage the intestinal lining. The lesions created by NETs thus facilitate bacterial penetration, leading to the phenomenon of leaky gut.
“ Our study shows that even short periods of excessive alcohol consumption can trigger inflammation and weaken the intestinal barrier, highlighting a potential early stage of alcohol-related intestinal and liver damage. explains Dr. Gyongyi Szabo. Since neutrophils are less prevalent in mice than in humans, " The responses observed in this model could be even more pronounced in humans., the authors of this study point out.
Preventing these intestinal lesions
So, to limit this intestinal damage, researchers tried blocking NETs using an enzyme capable of breaking them down (DNase). They then observed a decrease in the number of immune cells in the intestinal lining and a reduction in bacterial leakage. In other words, the enzyme prevented the formation of intestinal lesions.
Obviously, another, much simpler method is recommended to limit these effects: avoiding episodes of binge drinking. As every year, the campaign of Dry JanuaryThe "Dry January" campaign encourages people to reduce their alcohol consumption and reflect on their habits. More than 4.5 million French people participated in this program in 2025.
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