2023 Ultimate Guide to Drinking Alcohol with Crohn’s & Colitis

IBD’s and Alcohol: What to drink and what NOT to drink 

People think that if you have an Inflammatory Bowel Disease like Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis that you shouldn’t take a sip of alcohol. In a perfect world that might be the case. In reality, most of our social interactions revolve around some form of drinking. Not having a drink isn’t always an option.

I get it, you want to have fun with your friends, feel like you fit in, and there is nothing wrong with that. I’m writing this article because like you I’m a human being. I enjoy having a drink and I want you to be able to do the same. Pretending that someone with an IBD will never have a drink is completely naive!

The key is learning what you can do to minimize or eliminate negative side effects.

Is it SAFE to Drink Alcohol with Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis?

I bet you’re wondering if you can drink with an IBD? You might think all forms of alcohol are bad for your IBD’s? I don’t think that anyone can give you a black and white answer with this. For most people it depends where you are in your healing journey that dictates what you are able to tolerate. Some people might not be able to consume any alcohol without causing them issues. If this is you don’t worry because as you heal you’ll be able to enjoy a few drinks.

Which Alcohol is the safest for people who suffer from IBD’s?

In my experience people tolerate these the best options:

• Vodka
• Tequila
• Rum
• GIN
• Dry red or white wine, champagne (lower the sugar the better)
• RYE (try with caution because usually contains gluten)

Worst Alcohol for Crohn’s & Colitis 

The BIGGEST offender when it comes to drinking with an IBD is undoubtedly BEER! It’s fermented beverage that contains lots of yeast. Beer is a NO GO! since virtually everyone with gut issues will have underlying issues with Candida (yeast). You’ll find drinking 1-2 beers will likely cause IBD symptoms such as:

• Bloated & sore stomach
• Redness & pressure increase of eyes
• Loose bowel movements
• in excess FLARE Ups

Best Beer for Crohn’s & Colitis

I’m telling you from experience it’s not worth trying to drink beer. If you think you can tolerate it I urge you to test it by drinking 1/2 cup or less and see how it makes you feel. Beer tends to give most normal people without IBD’s, gas and bloating the next day. Even after 10 years of remission I don’t feel optimal when I consume beer. This sucks because I enjoy a cold beer on occasion, but my problem is only having one. 

If you decide to go Rogue and consume beer consider trying Low Carb Options like:

• Michelob Ultra 
• Corona Premier
• Miller Lite
• Budweiser Select 55

I’ve learned to love RUM and it’s now my drink of choice. Only 1-2 times per year do I have a Cold Corona with a lime. 

Don’t ABUSE IT

Try not to abuse alcohol as it can be an IBD Trigger. If your going to have a night out then pace yourself. Have a few drinks and try not getting completely blitzed.

You can see in a previous study that alcohol with sugar and yeast caused the most gut issues. 

DRINKING TIPS for  Crohn’s Disease & Ulcerative Colitis :  

• NO BEER! (Avoid as much as possible)
• Ask for your drinks to be served tall with with just a little bit of ice. This way you can milk your drink for longer without having to get another one.
• Have water in between drinks (spread out your drinks and minimize the effect on your gut)
• Everyone has their thoughts about diet pop but but I would suggest using it over regular sugar laced cola products.  Another alternative to pop is a product called Zevia (sweetened with stevia) which you can buy at your local grocery store or whole foods. Root Beer is my favorite! 
• Now Coca Cola has a new Stevia infused option which tastes pretty good
  
• You can try “pressing” your drinks with water or club soda and try adding some stevia for sweetness.
• Get a water and lime and simply pretend you’re drinking. I’ve done at parties and the club and it works! Nobody knows they just see you drinking.
• Blame the gym and say your keeping the drinks to a minimum to stay lean (Hard to diss someone who’s just trying to grind to look good)
• Make sure to take a good probiotic (1-2 capsules) when you get home from your night out. Do this every time you have a few drinks, no exceptions.

What IF I drink too much Alcohol (Recover without Flaring)

I’m not an advocate of drinking too much with an IBD but “life” happens. I’ve been out with my buddies where I say those infamous words “I’m only going to have one or two” which leads to 8-10+. I end up hammered and my gut has paid the price. I end up getting the hershey squirts and feel like crap! This is bad because your body dumps a lot of your good bacteria in an already compromised gut.

So if you end up in this situation: make sure you take at least 2 probiotic pills as soon as you get home. Then you need to take 2 more in the morning once you’ve cleared everything out of your system. Your stomach is going to feel pretty tender and you probably won’t have much of an appetite. Try not to force eating and give the probiotics as much time as you can to do their thang. Try to fast (not eat) as long as you can to give the gut time to recover. Fasting also minimizes the immune responses to food since nothing is going in. If you decide to eat make sure to keep the carbs low and also stay away from nuts or beans to minimize lectin exposure. I’ve used this strategy multiple times and was never thrown into a flare because of drinking too much. 

I’ve Been in your shoes

I remember what it’s like to be in my early 20s where I hit the club like 3-4 times a week. It can be difficult to go out with your friends and feel like the odd ball. You might slip up and I wrote this article to help you get through these times.

Remember you’re playing the long game right now, which is to achieve long term remission. Once you heal your gut you can be less strict. I believe that once you experience what it feels like to feel truly awesome, you won’t care about being like everyone else.

In Conclusion.. drinking Alcohol with Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease

I know you are going to drink so try and do it with caution. Be mindful of how you feel afterwards or the next day. I’ve had a few experiences where I overdid it, and paid the price. I did the stuff I mentioned in this article then got back on track. Healing is not a perfect science, you are going to make mistakes (fail forward). Don’t beat yourself up about it, learn from it and get back to healing. You got this, trust me!

Im 35 years old and I’m passionate about health and I try not to overdo the drinking. When I go out with my friends I rarely exceed 4 drinks a night. I own who I am… a dude that enjoys a drink, but cares more about being healthy. I drink when I attend social functions but I do it on my terms.

If your looking for help to overcome your gut issues feel free to check out my free guide.