Introduction
Together with ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease belongs to the so-called chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, or CED for short. The disease progresses in relapses, with the frequency and duration of the episodes varying from patient to patient. The course of the disease is partly genetically determined, but it is also influenced by external factors and thus by the lifestyle of those affected. One of the most important of these external influences is nutrition. Many patients are unsure which foods they are allowed to eat and which not, especially with alcohol, which is known to be harmful even in healthy people.
Can I drink alcohol if I have Crohn’s disease?
Very little is known about the interaction between alcohol and Crohn’s disease. There is no general ban on alcohol for patients with Crohn’s disease. However, it has recently been shown that about 15-30% of all CED patients complain of increasing bloating, diarrhea and abdominal pain after drinking alcohol.
Ultimately, alcohol behaves in the same way as any other food in patients with Crohn’s disease – each patient should find out whether and how much alcohol he or she can tolerate by carefully trying and observing himself or herself. A so-called diet diary can help here. Here, all foods and the time at which they were taken are documented, together with any complaints that may follow.
In this way, it is possible to differentiate between well and poorly tolerated foods over time. If you drink alcohol on a day on which only well-tolerated foods were eaten, any subsequent complaints can be traced back to the alcohol with relative certainty. Although there is no general ban on alcohol for CED patients, high-proof spirits such as schnapps should nevertheless be avoided, as these irritate the mucous membrane of the intestines and can, in the worst case, trigger new relapses or aggravate existing relapses. Drinks with a lower alcohol content such as beer or wine are better suited for trying out.
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