Does alcohol help a cold? Benefits, risks, and remedies

Quitting alcohol is a transformative journey, but it’s not without its temporary challenges. Chronic alcohol use suppresses the immune system, leaving it underactive. When you stop drinking, your immune system begins to normalize, but this process can temporarily overshoot, making you more vulnerable to common illnesses like colds. Think of it as your https://fmipa.unj.ac.id/how-alcohol-affects-blood-pressure-causes-risk/ body’s immune response waking up after a long slumber, initially overreacting before finding its balance.

Does Alcohol Weaken the Immune System Over Time?

Persistent alcohol use elevates the risk of cardiovascular diseases, weakens cell-mediated immunity, and increases the risk of infections.
Just as cravings or mood swings often peak early in sobriety, immune adjustments follow a similar pattern.
Uncontrolled inflammation can do more harm than good by damaging healthy cells and tissues.
Alcohol’s depressant effects on the central nervous system can contribute to feelings of anxiety and exacerbate existing anxiety disorders.
To this end, heavy drinkers have been shown to exhibit an increase in both IgA and IgM levels when compared to both moderate and light male drinkers.

Critical lymphocyte populations may never recover, your organ function may become unsalvageably compromised, and your bone marrow reserves when you use/abuse alcohol your resistance to colds increases permanently exhausted. Extreme alcohol toxicity may simply be more than the immune system can ultimately overcome. Functional medicine evaluates root causes of immune imbalance rather than focusing solely on symptoms. We assess how alcohol interacts with the gut, liver, detox pathways, microbiome, sleep, stress, and nutrient status.

What happens to your immune system when you quit drinking?

However, other studies suggest that moderate alcohol consumption may decrease the number of colds people get overall. This could be because alcohol influences aspects of the immune response. Alcoholics may be more susceptible to catching colds due to a weakened immune system caused by chronic alcohol consumption, which impairs the body’s ability to fight infections.

When you use/abuse alcohol your resistance to colds increases?

Of the participants, 83.4% reported drinking alcohol, and 55.4% reported having at least one cold in the last year.
For instance, neutrophils, crucial for fighting bacterial infections, become less effective at identifying and destroying invaders.
Stay hydrated, ensure restorative sleep, manage stress, and maintain gut-supporting practices.

The sedative properties of alcohol are often mistaken for relief, as they can temporarily dull aches, pains, and throat irritation. While sedation may aid sleep, the resulting sleep is typically poor quality and non-restorative, characterized by fragmented cycles alcoholism symptoms and suppressed REM phases. This lack of deep, restful sleep ultimately hinders the body’s recovery process, which relies heavily on quality rest to conserve energy and support immune function.

Alcohol disrupts immune function by impairing the production of white blood cells and cytokines, which are crucial for fighting infections. Studies show that even moderate drinking (1-2 drinks per day) can reduce immune response efficiency by up to 20%. When you quit, your body begins repairing this damage, but the immune system can become hyperactive as it adjusts. This heightened activity can make you more susceptible to viruses like the common cold, especially in the first 3-6 months of sobriety. You may notice signs of alcohol negatively impacting your immune system. Frequent colds or respiratory infections, slower recovery from illness or injury, increased fatigue or flare-ups of autoimmune symptoms are common indicators.