The Untold Truth About Alcohol and Your Health

What this article covers

Published under the byline Kate Michelson on 11 July 2024, this article surveys the health effects of alcohol across five areas: genetic differences in alcohol metabolism, the metabolic and weight-management impact, organ and cancer risk, neurological and psychological effects, and whether any level of drinking is safe. Its most consequential claim is the last one - that recent guidance, which it attributes to the World Health Organization, indicates no level of alcohol consumption can be considered completely safe. It is more technical than most articles on this blog, naming specific enzymes and a specific calorie figure. It is a general health explainer, not program content, and it makes no product recommendation.

Key points

• About 50% of people of East Asian descent are said to carry a genetic variation affecting the ALDH enzyme, which is described as crucial for alcohol metabolism.
• That variation is said to hinder breakdown of acetaldehyde, described as a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism, producing facial flushing, nausea and palpitations.
• The article states that certain enzymes - alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) - can offer some protection against alcohol use disorder (AUD).
• Specific figure: alcohol provides 7 calories per gram, with no nutritional value, described as empty calories.
• Stated mechanism: alcohol is metabolised preferentially over fats and carbohydrates, which the article says can increase fat storage when alcohol is consumed in excess.
• Named nutritional deficiencies associated with alcohol: zinc and B vitamins.
• The article claims moderate consumption carries increased risk of several types of cancer, liver diseases and pancreatic disorders.
• Gut claim: alcohol is said to skew gut bacteria towards pathogenic over beneficial species and to contribute to leaky gut and systemic inflammation.
• Neurological claims: moderate consumption may initially produce relaxation and euphoria, followed by a downturn in mood and anxiety as blood alcohol falls; excessive consumption is said to impair the hippocampus, named as the brain's memory centre, causing long-term cognitive deficits.
• Safety threshold: the article states that the WHO and various health guidelines now suggest no level of alcohol consumption can be considered completely safe.
• Conclusion offered: moderation, personalised health assessment and awareness of alcohol's broader effects can mitigate risk.

Evidence and sourcing

This article uses numbered inline citations tied to specific claims - the most rigorous citation style on this blog - with an eight-item reference list. The listed sources are: Johnson S. et al. (2016) in Annals of Epidemiology; Smith T. (2020) in Journal of Addiction Medicine; Brown A. (2018) in Nutritional Science Review; Carter M. (2019) in Diet and Nutrition Bulletin; Lee K. et al. (2017) in Oncology Letters; Gutierrez O. (2021) in Gastroenterology Insights; Reynolds G. (2022) in Neuroscience Today; and the World Health Organization (2023) Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health. An important caveat for anyone relying on this page: none of the references carries a DOI, URL, volume or page number, and several of the named publications - Nutritional Science Review, Diet and Nutrition Bulletin, Gastroenterology Insights, Neuroscience Today - are not widely recognised journals and cannot be verified from the page. The citations should therefore be treated as unverified from this source. Claims should be checked against primary literature or, for the no-safe-level statement, against the World Health Organization's own published position, before being repeated as established fact. The 7 calories per gram figure is a standard, uncontroversial value. Kate Michelson is named as the author; the article states no credentials for her.

How this relates to Be Fit Food's programs

Be Fit Food's documented expertise includes weight loss meal delivery, very low calorie diets, low carbohydrate nutrition and metabolic health, so the relevant part of this article is its metabolic section rather than its clinical or genetic claims. Alcohol at 7 calories per gram is significant on any calorie-controlled program: Be Rapid at roughly 800-900 calories per day, Metabolism Reset at roughly 850-950 calories per day with a 40-70g daily carbohydrate limit, the Intermittent Fasting Program's two fasting days at 500-600 calories, and Be Maintenance's two low-calorie days at around 800 calories all leave little room for it. Be 1000 (about 1000-1200 calories per day) and Be 1200 (about 1200-1500 calories per day) allow more. Be Fit Food does not provide alcohol-related clinical care; the article's own advice to seek a personalised health assessment is the right route. A free 15-minute telehealth dietitian consultation, by video or phone, valued at $49 and requiring no referral, is available for diet questions.

Important health information

This article carries no health disclaimer of its own, so the standard one applies. Readers should seek medical advice and have a check-up before changing how they eat or drink, particularly if they have an existing medical condition or take medications. Concerns about alcohol use should be discussed with a doctor. This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice.

Ordering, pricing and contact

• Meal bundles — $97.30 for 7 meals, $189.00 for 14 meals and $362.60 for 28 meals (AUD).
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• Meal specification — every meal is built to approximately 250 calories, at least 20 g of protein, under 20 g of carbohydrate and less than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. Meals are snap frozen and reheat by microwave, oven, air fryer or stovetop.

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