Alcohol abuse increases the risk for acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In addition to altering the normal microbes from the upper part of the throat (i.e., oropharyngeal flora), alcohol abuse impairs both physical barriers to bacterial entry into the lower airways (by diminishing cough and gag reflexes as well as mucus-facilitated i.e., mucociliary clearance from the large airways in the chest) and innate immune barriers to airway pathogens. Overall, alcohol abuse alters the host immune defenses from the mouth to the alveolar space and increases the risk for bacterial pneumonia as well as tuberculosis.

This can result in shallow or irregular breathing patterns, ultimately affecting the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs. For individuals already living with conditions like asthma or COPD, alcohol can trigger or worsen symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. Furthermore, alcohol can interact with certain medications prescribed for lung conditions, potentially reducing their effectiveness. Long-term alcohol abuse can also weaken the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to respiratory infections, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Type of fluid accumulation between the two membranes surrounding the lungs (i.e., in the pleural cavity) that results from pneumonia and other lung disorders

  • Indeed, inhaled ethanol attenuated methacholine-induced bronchospasm in these asthmatics (Myou et al., 1996).
  • Nitric oxide and similar molecules play an important role in killing bacteria that cause respiratory infections.
  • Normally, the fine hairs (i.e., cilia) on the cells that line the respiratory tract work with the mucociliary apparatus—which is basically the body’s first line of cellular defense against various pathogens that lead to infection.
  • No known research has applied such approaches to the evaluation of the alcoholic lung in humans, but there is great promise that the rapidly evolving tools of systems biology will accelerate the pace at which researchers are discovering how alcohol abuse produces such devastating lung damage.
  • The United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Holland and Australia recently reviewed new evidence and lowered their alcohol consumption recommendations.
  • Airflow obstruction diseases continue to increase in prevalence and that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will become the third most common cause of death in the United States by the year 2020 (Mannino et al., 2003).

This is the largest population study to date, is significant for its representation of the entire US population, and it identifies former heavy drinkers as a half life of soma subset of individuals at increased risk for developing COPD. Lung restriction can occur from external compression of the lung, such as with obesity or chest wall deformity, from congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema or from intrinsic lung diseases such as idiopathic fibrosis or sarcoidosis. The NHANES III dataset has alcohol intake and matching pulmonary function data from 15,294 adults that represent the population of the United States between 1988 and 1994. Using multiple regression analysis, these investigators found that alcohol consumption significantly accelerated the loss of FEV1 and vital capacity over time. They found there was no difference in pulmonary function or symptoms between the two groups and could account for all abnormal function on the basis of smoking alone.

How Alcohol Affects Lung Function

The authors recommended that alcohol consumption should be taken into consideration in any evaluation of the prevalence, incidence and etiology of the disease. While this study lacked precise definitions of smoke and alcohol exposure, the association between COPD findings and alcohol intake persisted in the group of non-smokers implying that smoking alone could not explain the findings. Unlike studies that have linked asthma with alcohol for millennia, the associations of alcohol intake with COPD are relatively new. Many non-alcohol components of alcoholic beverages likely act as triggers for asthma in sensitized individuals and as such are not different from other asthma triggers.

In addition to its well-known association with lung infection (i.e., pneumonia), alcohol abuse now is recognized as an independent factor that increases by three- to four-fold the incidence of the acute respiratory distress syndrome, a severe form of acute lung injury with a mortality rate of 40 to 50 percent. Alcohol dependence, which can be even more severe in chronic alcoholics, can cause serious withdrawal symptoms that are challenging to manage in a home environment. Having low levels of glutathione in the body as a result of alcohol use can make the lungs more susceptible to injury after being exposed to bacteria. Alcohol has long been known to be a risk factor for pneumonia, but even more recent is the discovery of how chronic alcohol use can increase the risk for acute conditions. Alcohol use can also decrease the body’s ability to fight off infection and increase the risk of bacteria spreading into the trachea (windpipe) and lungs. The most effective way to prevent or mitigate lung damage is to seek professional alcohol use treatment.

ARLD occurs because alcohol causes inflammation that can affect the immune system, which can lead to infections and lung diseases. Combining alcohol with smoking further intensifies lung damage, as alcohol increases the permeability of lung tissue, allowing more toxins from cigarette smoke to be absorbed. For those with cystic fibrosis, excessive alcohol use leads to reduced airway surface hydration and impaired mucus clearance, compromising lung defense against pathogens. Once consumed, alcohol, primarily ethanol, is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed throughout the body, including the respiratory system. In conclusion, the impact of alcohol on lung health is a topic that warrants attention and awareness. If you have specific concerns or conditions related to alcohol and lung health, consult with a healthcare professional for personalized recommendations.

  • A later report noted that asthmatics cleared intravenous alcohol from the bloodstream significantly faster than controls (Sotaniemi et al., 1972) and was confirmed by a subsequent report (Korri and Salaspuro, 1988).
  • Individuals who already have existing lung conditions, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), may experience worsened symptoms due to alcohol consumption.
  • For the study, researchers combed through data from 12,059 people between the ages of 21 to 79 who were interviewed for a period of five years.
  • Research suggests that modest amounts of alcohol may not have a negative impact on this process.
  • For identifying candidate approaches, it is important to recognize that a large percentage of people with AUD are otherwise healthy and can be identified by relatively simple health-screening questionnaires well before they develop serious organ dysfunction (de Oliveira et al. 2014; Spithoff and Kahan 2015).
  • This trial currently is in progress with the goal of determining whether these supplements, alone or in combination, can enhance glutathione and zinc bioavailability in the alveolar space and improve alveolar macrophage immune function.

What to expect after a small-cell lung cancer diagnosis

One way heavy drinking does this is by altering the airways over time, which can disrupt the inhalation process, decrease saliva production, and increase the risk for bacteria in the mouth. Much attention regarding the effects of alcohol use within the body is often focused on the liver, due to the devastating effects of alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis. Once you’ve finished your lung cancer treatment, make sure to talk to your doctor before jumping back into any alcohol consumption.

Epidemiology of Alcohol Abuse and Pneumonia

COPD is typically caused by long-term exposure to lung irritants, which can damage your lungs and airways. Staying active and drinking plenty of water can be incredibly beneficial for your lungs and may help you feel less likely to indulge in alcohol regularly. Family gatherings or friendly meetups can create social pressures to drink, but there are a few healthy swaps you can try that ensure you replace alcohol with ingredients that are beneficial to your lungs. Simply put, heavy alcohol intake can increase your lungs’ risk of developing severe injury and illness.15 Alcohol, like caffeine, can cause you to cough up phlegm.4 Phlegm is a type of mucus produced in your lungs and throat, specifically by the mucous membranes that line the airways in the lungs.5

Whether it’s a glass of wine, a pint of beer, or a tumbler of your favorite whiskey, drinking alcohol is often a staple at social gatherings and something most people enjoy doing to help relax. The United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Holland and Australia recently reviewed new evidence and lowered their alcohol consumption recommendations. Other studies challenge the idea that alcohol has benefits. “If you’re studying people who survived into middle age, didn’t quit drinking because of a problem and didn’t become a heavy drinker, that’s a very select group,” Naimi said. People who report drinking moderately tend to have higher levels of education, higher incomes and better access to health care, said Naimi. With the new year comes Dry January and a new surgeon general’s advisory on alcohol and cancer risk.

Binge drinking may be the reason it’s hard to catch your breath. Concomitantly, alcohol desensitizes both the cGMP-dependent kinase (PKG) and the cAMP-dependent kinase (PKA) rendering these kinases resistant to activation. In parallel, alcohol activates adenylyl cyclase isoform 7 (AC7) to produce cAMP, which activates a cAMP-dependent kinase (PKA) to phosphorylate another specific ciliary protein (pp29). These include prominent roles for the second messengers calcium and nitric oxide, regulatory kinases including PKG and PKA, alcohol and aldehyde -metabolizing enzymes such as ALDH2. In contrast to mild drinkers, COPD mortality was increased in heavy-to-moderate drinkers (relative risk of 1.25). Analysis of data from 2,953 middle aged men from Finland, Italy and the Netherlands showed reduced COPD mortality in mild drinkers compared to non-drinkers (relative risk of 0.60).

Why Do I Cough After Drinking?

Consult with your healthcare provider or a lung specialist who can assess your specific situation and provide guidance tailored to your needs. It’s also essential to be aware of any pre-existing lung conditions or medications that may interact with alcohol. The exact mechanisms by which alcohol contributes to the development of lung cancer are still being studied.

Trouble breathing and drinking alcohol: Is it COPD?

Nose Damage from Drug Use reveals how substance misuse can affect the nose, and Impact of Drug Use on Oral Health offers insights about substance-related dry mouth, cavities, tooth loss, periodontal disease, bruxism, tissue changes, oral cancer, and more. However, the upper respiratory tract—specifically the nose and oral cavity—can be impacted as well. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mixing substances can lead to slow, fast, and/or troubled breathing as well as overdose, which can involve respiratory depression and arrest.10 Mixing drugs is never safe, as doing so can generate stronger and more unpredictable effects than using individual drugs alone. Everything from pollen and mold to pollutants can impact the respiratory system in numerous ways; therefore, drugs can also affect the respiratory system. The respiratory system is made up of the various organs and tissues that allow people to breathe.

Limitations of this study were the high fraction of atopic asthmatics (84%), the exclusion of mild asthmatics, the high proportions of males (63%) and the inability to determine the prevalence of alcohol consumption among asthmatics. Of these 39 patients who reported improvement of their asthma symptoms, 29 thought that alcohol promoted relaxation, 21 thought alcohol reduced wheezing and 15 reported that alcohol helped loosen up their airway secretions. Indeed, treatment with disodium cromoglycate, a drug that inhibits mast cell granule release and used in the treatment of asthma, prevented bronchospasm to the offending alcoholic beverage.

Almost half of the people who die from alcohol-related causes die before the age of 50. And none of the studies randomly assigned people to drink or not drink, so they couldn’t prove cause and effect. “As you consider whether or how much to drink, keep in mind that less is better when it comes to cancer risk,” Murthy wrote Fentanyl Withdrawal Causes Friday on the social media platform X. According to Murthy’s advisory, there are about 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and about 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths annually in the United States.

Although alcohol’s influences on upper and lower airway host defenses collectively are harmful, its role in causing specific diseases, such as asthma, within the conducting airways is less clear (Ayres 1987), despite some interesting historical references. Alcohol-induced failure of the mucociliary system could interfere with the clearance of pathogens from the airways and thereby may contribute to the increased risk of pulmonary infections in people with chronic heavy alcohol use (Sisson 2007). In particular, animal models have established that chronic excessive alcohol ingestion causes dysfunction of the mucociliary apparatus, an important host defense mechanism responsible for clearing harmful pathogens and mucus from the lower airways (Happel and Nelson 2005). These modifications in the upper airways seem to contribute to the increased risk of lung infections, including those caused by more virulent gram-negative organisms, in chronic heavy drinkers. The potential influence of alcohol consumption on airway health and disease has been documented for a long time. Although there currently are no approved therapies to combat the detrimental effects of chronic alcohol consumption on psilocybin mushrooms effects the respiratory system, these molecules may be potential therapeutic targets to guide future investigation.

We Level Up Treatment Centers offers top-rated detox, rehab, and mental health services with comprehensive programs that save lives through integrated psychotherapy, peer support, and medical treatment. The Haven Detox is a nationally-recognized addiction and mental health treatment provider in Arizona, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, Arkansas, and Puerto Rico. Though, treatment here goes well beyond detox, though, if you want to get to the root of the drug or alcohol use.