#092 The Truth About Alcohol: Risks, Benefits, and Everything In-Between | Dr. Rhonda Patrick

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In this special solo episode of FoundMyFitness, we’re taking a deep dive into alcohol. We’ll explore the science, misconceptions, controversies, and health effects of this widely used drug. I believe that a nuanced, scientific discussion on alcohol is the best way to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about alcohol use.

Timestamps

• (00:00) Introduction
• (08:03) What does it mean to "have a drink"?
• (09:39) Drinking frequency definitions
• (12:39) How alcohol is metabolized
• (18:25) Can alcoholism be inherited?
• (19:41) How food affects alcohol metabolism
• (21:40) Does age affect alcohol metabolism?
• (22:29) How alcohol affects nutrient absorption
• (27:04) How alcohol affects gut health
• (28:57) Alcohol elevates circulating LPS levels
• (31:51) Gut health & alcohol use disorders
• (36:30) Sick quitter & healthy user biases
• (39:38) How alcohol impacts the brain
• (43:34) Alcohol's effects on anxiety
• (49:56) Alcohol facilitates thiamine deficiency
• (51:39) Alcohol promotes brain inflammation
• (52:56) Dementia & Alzheimer's disease risk 
• (1:06:50) Is resveratrol in red wine beneficial?
• (1:11:28) How alcohol impacts sleep
• (1:19:47) Mitigating alcohol's impact on sleep 
• (1:22:13) Hangover symptoms & causes
• (1:26:33) How congeners affect hangover severity
• (1:27:58) Treating hangovers with fruit
• (1:30:40) Zinc, vitamin B3, & hangovers
• (1:31:41) Managing hangovers with NSAIDs
• (1:32:22) "Hair of the dog” for hangovers
• (1:32:40) Liposomal glutathione, NAC, & hangovers
• (1:35:56) Does ZBiotics prevent hangovers?
• (1:38:18) Dihydromyricetin (DHM) for hangovers
• (1:39:15) Exercise & sauna for treating hangovers
• (1:40:21) Alcohol's effect on mortality risk 
• (1:44:28) Alcohol consumption in Blue Zones
• (1:49:07) Does alcohol increase cancer risk?
• (2:00:43) Can quitting alcohol lower cancer risk?
• (2:09:46) Alcohol & cardiovascular disease (CVD)
• (2:23:24) Alcohol and type 2 diabetes risk
• (2:28:28) Alcohol's impact on your waistline
• (2:31:33) Why alcohol facilitates weight gain
• (2:34:06) How alcohol impacts reproductive health
• (2:44:31) Preconception alcohol risks
• (2:47:12) How alcohol affects testosterone in men
• (2:48:55) Pre-pregnancy alcohol consumption risks
• (2:53:17) Is red wine the healthiest option?
• (2:57:47) Alcohol & post-exercise recovery
• (3:01:34) Does alcohol "blunt your gains"?
• (3:04:11) The BEER-HIIT study
• (3:05:03) Can exercise lessen alcohol cravings?
• (3:12:57) Alcohol damage control tactics

Show notes are available by clicking here

Watch this episode on YouTube