Alcohol is “kind of a stressor for your body, so it can cause your body to lose proper cortisol secretion,” Lashinger says.
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For example, your adrenal glands, found on Twelve-step program top of your kidneys, secrete cortisol, a stress hormone. Usually, cortisol helps your body respond to stress by increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Generally, glands in your body release the right amount of hormones at an exact time, which send messages to your tissues. Those messages aid in your body’s stress response and help control your energy and metabolism. Drinking alcohol can impair the functions of your glands that release hormones, which may cause weight gain. Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size.

How Does Alcohol Cause Weight Gain & How Can I Stop it?
- This imbalance can lead to overeating and cravings for high-calorie foods, contributing to weight gain.
- Beer, wine, and spirits don’t contain any nutrients, so they either add calories to the diet without any benefits or replace food or drink that do contain nutrients.
- If you have discomfort due to occasional alcohol bloating, over-the-counter antacids, such as Alka Seltzer, may help settle the stomach.
It just doesn’t make sense, or sound very appealing to be quite frank. Over 14% body weight is lost on average by people using one option Pilot can recommend. Learn to control hunger and cravings, target appetite and eat less and retain your metabolism. With medical professionals at your fingertips, the program can help to rewire your relationship with food so you can achieve sustainable weight loss. This is because factors like gender, exercise habits and body type make it tricky to produce solid evidence 4.
- This leads to a slower rate of calorie burning and a greater propensity for weight gain.
- After a night of drinking, you might feel less inclined to exercise, which leads to reduced caloric expenditure.
- There is no way to determine where excess body fat will accumulate.
- A study published in 2016 found that decreasing light-to-moderate alcohol consumption did not significantly affect weight loss.
- Additionally, liver disease can cause fluid retention and bloating, further contributing to weight gain.
- Over 14% body weight is lost on average by people using one option Pilot can recommend.
You could damage your organs if you drink vodka every night in excess
Studies show that even moderate alcohol consumption shortens REM sleep. It’s a crucial stage for memory consolidation and overall well-being. If you only drink one vodka cocktail every night, you’re not going to wind up slurring your speech or stumbling around. But if you are knocking back shot after shot, that can have a real impact on your cognitive function, according to Dr. Nick Knight. “A number of processes slow down,” he shared in an interview with the BBC’s Newsbeat. “You get a reduction in your executive function, so judgement, your decision making.” He added, “You become less inhibited and you are tempted to take more risks than you would usually.”
- A 1.5-oz (42 g) serving of distilled vodka, 80 proof (40%), has 97 calories.
- This means that while your body is busy processing alcohol, it’s less efficient at burning fat for energy, potentially leading to fat storage if calorie intake exceeds expenditure.
- Men tend to accumulate and store fat around their abdominal region, meaning they are more apple-shaped and are prone to developing beer bellies.
- Most notably, drinking alcoholic beverages stimulates the release of endorphins, hormones that make you feel pleasure and dull pain.
- If all calories were created equal, and you looked at the chart above, weight gain would make sense.
If you drink vodka every night in large amounts, it could impact your cognitive function

Each shake is packed with 20 vitamins and minerals along with nearly 30g of high-quality protein (and no bad stuff like added sugar, laxatives, preservatives or empty fillers). These shakes can be a powerful way to kick-start your weight loss journey while nourishing your body with everything it needs to stay fit and healthy. Let’s dive into some healthy habits you can start incorporating into your weight loss journey and get rid of that alcohol belly for good. Women tend to have a higher vodka weight gain body fat percentage and lower water content than men, which means alcohol gets diluted less and hits harder 10. Empty calories are calories that don’t have any nutritional value or benefits.