There is a growing number of addicts worldwide, and in 2011, a person died every five minutes in the United States from a drug addiction-related death. Addiction is an increasingly common phenomenon, so finding effective and lasting ways to overcome these will be a long-term endeavor. Addiction affects all aspects of life. The cause of addiction varies for different patients, and in many cases the cause of addiction is unknown. In some cases, addiction is a result of altered chemicals in the brain leading to dependence on a substance or a behavior. Therefore restoring these altered chemicals to normal levels may have a positive effect on treating and improving addictive behaviors. It has also been shown that altering the intestinal flora may cause alterations in brain chemicals. 1. Alcohol addiction is associated with gut flora deficiency A study published in PNAS suggests that gut flora plays an important role in alcohol addiction and relapse after withdrawal. The study provides strong evidence that alcohol addiction is not only a brain problem, but also has a strong relationship with disorders of gut flora. The researchers tested the gut flora composition of 60 alcoholics who drank the same amount of alcohol. At the end of the test, the alcoholics were allowed to recover for 19 days and the scientists were surprised to find that the recovery status of these people differed greatly and that their risk of relapse and health status were closely related to their intestinal flora. Twenty-six of the 60 participants had leaky gut syndrome and generally had low gut flora, especially Clostridium perfringens, which is associated with anti-inflammatory conditions. Leaky gut syndrome was associated with intestinal inflammation as well as Crohn’s disease. After 19 days of alcohol withdrawal, these 26 subjects still had higher anxiety-depression scale scores as well as strong cravings for alcohol, with no greater differences than 19 days earlier. In contrast, the remaining 34, who had a more normal gut flora, recovered much better, with lower anxiety-depression scores and significantly lower alcohol cravings. In fact, their scores were almost comparable to those of normal controls without alcohol addiction. Therefore, the researchers concluded that gut flora has a strong relationship with relapse after alcohol addiction withdrawal, and that gut flora may be a very important factor to consider in future treatment programs for alcohol addiction. 2. Alcohol consumption disrupts intestinal function Alcohol disrupts intestinal function in two ways. First, the presence of alcohol weakens the activity of prostaglandins, an important substance in the body. Among the many functions of prostaglandins, prostaglandins can control the degree of inflammation in any location of injury. Alcohol inhibits the activity of prostaglandins, leading to uncontrollable inflammation. A single drink of alcohol can briefly suppress prostaglandin activity, and habitual and excessive alcohol consumption associated with alcohol abuse can result in continued suppression of prostaglandin levels, causing validation to occur in the colon and other parts of the body. These inflammatory occurrences can trigger or promote the development of leaky gut syndrome. Second, excessive alcohol consumption also disrupts the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. The disruptive effects include reduced production of enzymes involved in the metabolism of specific types of nutrients, direct destruction of small intestinal cells involved in nutrient absorption, resulting in malnutrition, which in turn further impairs the absorption of other important nutrients. In patients with prior leaky gut syndrome, this can be further exacerbated by malnutrition and the lack of effective nutrient processing mechanisms. People who abuse alcohol generally have significant changes in bowel function that can cause leaky gut syndrome or exacerbate the symptoms of leaky gut that are already present. 3. The vicious cycle between alcohol addiction and gut flora destruction Recent studies have shown that addiction and relapse after withdrawal are associated with gut flora. Addiction is not just about the changes that occur in the brain, but in some cases is also associated with imbalances in the gut flora. An article published in the American Journal of Physiology also noted that the composition of the gut flora is altered in some chronic drinkers, with a decrease in Bacillus mimicus and an increase in Aspergillus in their intestines. This change can cause leaky gut and increase the risk of toxic substances entering the bloodstream. The increase in harmful bacteria in the body increases the production of lipopolysaccharides (components of endotoxins) in the body, producing chronic inflammation and causing changes in the blood-brain barrier. The disruption of the blood-brain barrier allows harmful substances to enter the nervous system. Chronic inflammation can also affect mental health and lead to severe depression, which can induce the development of addictive processes. The destruction of the intestinal tract by alcohol creates a vicious cycle in addiction treatment. Because alcohol destroys the intestinal flora allowing addictive behaviors and physical cravings to continue, relapse after withdrawal occurs, and relapse further destroys the intestinal tract. Alcohol withdrawal is a painful rebirth process, and many people relapse because they can’t tolerate the pain of withdrawal, making it impossible to quit or even worse. Paying attention to your gut and considering your intestinal flora may make your road to sobriety easy and sweet.