Humanizing Alcohol
It's literally toxic, bro
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Alcohol is interesting to me because different people can have such drastically different responses from it. As mentioned in the Huberman Lab podcast on the topic, Dr. Andrew Huberman explains how and why some people are at a greater risk of Alcohol Use Disorder, whether it be a genetic predisposition to alcohol or genetic mutations that predispose them to alcoholism.
The first thing I want to mention is this article is not intended to be a deep scientific dive into alcohol. The incredible podcast by Dr. Andrew Huberman accomplishes this. I recently finished the entire podcast while taking notes and learned a tremendous amount. Rather, I intend this article to touch on a more human side - blending personal anecdotes, evidence from the podcast, and evidence from observations around me to bring you my current stance on alcohol use as well as a fun dive into a topic that has been ingrained in society for hundreds if not thousands of years. Let’s begin.
When drinking alcohol, one of the obvious reasons is the physiological effect it has on us and effect on our mood. When we have the first drink or two in a night, our serotonin levels rise significantly. However as we ingest more alcohol and that initial effect starts to wear off, our serotonin levels start to fall off a cliff. As a result, the immediate response is to continue drinking. But the fact is, there is no way to return to that initial euphoria from the rise in serotonin from the first 1-2 drinks. Some people have a unique mutation that allows that effect to continue to rise. As a result, they are obviously at risk for alcoholism because they seemingly only experience the positive effects of alcohol during the night. Whereas some (me) start to get drowsy, tired, and lose that initial ‘high’, those with the mutation continue to gain more energy and want to continue drinking into the night. Having self-awareness, as mentioned in the podcast, is crucial to understanding how your body responds to alcohol and the risks you accept by consuming it.
One of my favorite parts of the podcast is when Dr. Andrew Huberman breaks down how alcohol is processed in our bodies. It is broken down in our bodies through a process called alcohol metabolism. The majority of ethanol, which is the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, is broken down in the liver by an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). This enzyme then transforms ethanol into a toxic compound called acetaldehyde (a literal poison to our bodies). Acetaldehyde is then further broken down into acetate by another enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). The acetate is eventually metabolized and eliminated from the body as carbon dioxide and water. It’s important to note that although acetate is metabolized by our bodies, it is considered an ‘empty calorie’. There is zero use in our bodies for the calories that comes from alcohol, which is one of the reasons alcohol is so potent in weight gain. Other enzymes such as cytochrome P450 (CYP2E1) and catalase also play a role in breaking down alcohol, but to a lesser extent. As mentioned above, the process of alcohol metabolism is influenced by genetic factors, such as variations in the genes for the enzymes involved, as well as environmental factors such as the amount of alcohol consumed and overall nutrition. The breakdown process really is fascinating, but the major takeaway is alcohol is literal poison that we voluntarily ingest.
That’s a brief background on how we break it down. If we go purely based on the science, alcohol is a net negative to us. The information above, as well as a plethora of other negatives outlined in the podcast (like neurodegeneration) would lead us to believe no one should ever use it. So why is it so prolific in our culture and the cultures of past?
For one, it’s the acute effects we experience during the occasions we drink. It’s clear that it disrupts top down inhibition in the hypothalamus, most associated with primitive functions like sex drive, hunger, and thirst. The more we drink, the more we feel changes in the circuits that underly impulsive behavior, and experience suppression of the prefrontal cortex after the 1st or 2nd drink. As a result, we start to see (or hear) voices rising, more free and open speech, increased movement of hands and an increase in movement or dancing. And that can be a wonderful thing, in moderation. Excellent conversations are had, people are met, and stress is lower. However, that is in acute use. The podcast revealed, especially with chronic use, that stress and cortisol levels are chronically elevated following alcohol use even days later. It’s cliche but we’re literally sacrificing future happiness for the happiness of present. Additionally, chronic use was defined as 1-2 drinks per night. But it doesn’t matter if you have 1 drink every night or 7-14 drinks on a Saturday. It is still considered chronic use that can result in the elevated stress and aforementioned neurodegeneration including a breakdown in neurons and cell bodies, connections/fibers, axons of neurons, a thinning of the neocortex, and loss of other regions.
Knowing all this now, what do we do with the information? For me, I like to think that I’m very self-aware when it comes to alcohol use. I quickly recognized in high school that I did not experience the effects of a high that continues to rise. I really didn’t enjoy it, and when I got to college barely consumed any until the end of junior year and senior year. Following college, there have been long periods (6 months+) where I consumed absolutely no alcohol, periods where I used it in moderation on a regular basis, and the very rare heavy use at a best friend’s wedding. The funny thing is I rarely notice any difference in the fun I have in a night with or without it. Obviously the experience is different, but it is one with a conscious choice to sleep incredibly well that night and feel amazing the following day. We know that after even 1-2 drinks, our sleep (and many other health markers) will be impaired.
One of the common complaints I get, which is almost always from younger men, is how do you still feel good in public environments without alcohol - aka talking to girls, having a good time with friends, etc. in environments where everyone is drinking. This is one that takes a bit of self reflection. If you aren’t comfortable in a social setting - is it even one you should be in to begin with? Have you ever been completely sober in a loud club? It’s a straight up disaster. Not necessarily a disaster for me, but just observing the sloppy interactions that occur. If your body is telling you no, the answer probably isn’t to consume enough alcohol until you feel “ok” wherever you are. That’s just feeding the flame of alcohol dependence. Now that’s not to say that alcohol use can’t somewhat elevate your experience - that’s the whole point. But being able to recognize what you actually want out of a night or an experience is huge.
I’ve never been one to enjoy loud, pushy environments filled with drunk people. A more private setting, a place where I can actually enjoy a conversation is what brings fulfillment from going out for me. And that answers the question of comfort in a social setting. I’m completely happy to be sober or have a couple drinks everywhere I go, because I wouldn’t be there to begin with if it wasn’t the type of environment I want to be in. And not to brag, but that’s just a level of maturity that people hit at different ages. It is OK to say no to your friends that want to go to a random club to talk to girls (that you certainly wouldn’t marry) and get wildly intoxicated.
The other side of that topic is what about settings where you’re not entirely comfortable? What about walking up to the girl that caught your eye the second you walked in the door? Same answer. It’s a level of comfort in knowing who you are and that you are COMPLETE without the addition of alcohol (and it isn’t that big of a deal, just talk to her if you want to - the worst you can get is a simple rejection). The funny thing is many people have never done anything that we would perceive as stressful without alcohol use. So you have no idea what it feels like to do it without alcohol. I like the approaching a girl example. If it makes you nervous, maybe that’s totally ok and our body is telling us something important. A slight amount of nerves can actual elevate stress to a nice point of focus that makes you better at what you’re trying to do. At the end of the day it is NOT that serious. None of it is. But what is serious is our long term health and having a healthy relationship with substances - especially substances that are incredibly prevalent in our environments and we are constantly exposed to.
As I mentioned above I’ve spent times of my life totally abstinent from alcohol. It taught me a lot about what I actually enjoy and allowed me to only put myself in social settings that I want to be in. That’s why I recommend everyone, especially young men, spend a period of time without any alcohol. But it doesn’t matter if you’re 18, 21, or 51. Additionally, the best answer in terms of long term health is to just not use it at all. And that leads us into a basic protocol for alcohol use.
If you’ve never been completely abstinent or recognize that you are predisposed to Alcohol Use Disorder, it would be best to not use alcohol at all. If you have a healthy relationship with alcohol and enjoy it every once in a while, 1-2 drinks per week is the tipping point at which negative health effects arise from frequent use. That may seem like a very small amount, but that is all it takes to drain your health long term. If you are training for a physical event, goal, or are trying to modify your body composition, I always recommend absolutely no alcohol. The occasional 1-2 drinks probably won’t hurt you at all, but if you are serious about your goal, why not go 100%, hit it, then reintroduce alcohol into your life?
As I said above, this isn’t that serious. Use it in moderation, preferably 1-2 drinks per week or less. Enjoy your life and learn to remove toxic settings that you would only go to if you could get drunk. And the hardest thing is to not think about it when I tell you not to think about it. But over time, it just won’t be that big of a deal as it becomes less of a part of our lives.
With the amount of information we now have, it’s easy to science the sh*t out of everything. Trying to introduce stringent protocols can actually make us more stressed, dehumanize the experience, and could be a net negative. Rather, I like to approach most things from a ‘feels right’ mentality. Going to a sleepy brewery after a long hike in the mountains with some friends? Feels right. Going to a cocktail hour hosted by a friend and approaching a beautiful girl? Feels right. One of the greatest things I’ve learned is to avoid things that don’t feel right to my core (Exhibit A - loud clubs). The exception is what takes us out of our comfort zone with regard to education, physical fitness, career aspirations, and romantic goals (and probably some others that I’m missing). Obviously if you are blacking out, consuming alcohol chronically (14+ drinks per week), or have a predisposition to alcoholism, this is a serious topic that should be addressed via friends and family, a healthcare provider, and/or a therapist. It is not my place to make that judgement, rather a recommendation that hopefully nudges you in the right direction and leads to a happier and healthier life. If you have any questions, want to chat, or discuss how alcohol is affecting you, feel free to drop a DM on instagram or email me.
Cheers.
DISCLAIMER
This is not Legal, Medical, or Financial advice. Please consult a medical professional before starting any workout program, diet plan, or supplement protocol.