How Does Alcohol Make You Fat?
Weight changes are influenced by several factors, including age, genetics, diet, activity level and more. While the factors influencing weight gain or loss are complex and multifaceted, changes in your weight are ultimately due to the balance between the amount of calories you consume versus the amount your body uses.
Alcohol use is one of the many factors that can contribute to weight gain. Alcohol is unique in that it not only adds calories, but also causes other physical and behavioral changes that can further affect your weight.
Alcohol and Eating Behaviors
Alcohol decreases inhibitions, making you more likely to do things that you wouldn’t normally do otherwise. This applies to many areas, including decisions related to eating. If you would normally avoid or limit potentially non-nutritious foods, alcohol intoxication decreases your inhibitions, making you more likely to overindulge.
Alcohol Sugar Content
While alcohol can affect weight in many ways, the caloric content should not be ignored. Alcohol contains almost as many calories per ounce as pure fat, meaning that even just a few drinks can significantly increase your calorie intake for the day. Calories from alcohol are also empty calories, meaning that they add no nutritional value.
Alcohol and Metabolism
Alcohol changes the way your body metabolizes. When your body burns calories during and after alcohol consumption, your body prioritizes eliminating alcohol first. The absorption of nutrients and burning of fat is interrupted.
Alcohol and Hunger
A recent discovery shows that alcohol has an effect on an area of the brain that provokes hunger. When alcohol is consumed, the brain’s hunger signals may be distorted, leading to an increased motivation to eat despite consuming calories from alcohol. This makes you more likely to overeat when drinking alcohol.
Alcohol and Bloating
While technically not considered weight gain, bloating can still make you feel like you’ve gained weight. Alcohol causes bloating by irritating the lining of your intestines, causing excessive gas and swelling in the abdomen. While this may not add to your weight, it can add to your waistline and overall appearance.
Alcohol Water Retention
Alcohol causes you to retain water because it is dehydrating. This might seem counterintuitive, but your body compensates for losing water by retaining water wherever it can. This results in swelling in soft tissues in your body, most noticeably in the face. Depending on how dehydrated you are, this may not significantly affect your weight, but it can affect your perception of weight gain by adding volume to your face.
Alcohol and Testosterone
Alcohol is known to inhibit the release of testosterone, especially in men. While this can result in decreased libido and problems sustaining an erection, decreased testosterone is also known to contribute to weight gain.
Alcohol and Sleep
Alcohol may make it easier to fall asleep, but once you are asleep, alcohol will prevent your brain from reaching the deep, regenerative sleep you need to feel fully rested. The effects of alcohol on sleep will not only make you feel more tired throughout the day but will actually lead to an increased probability of weight gain.