Can You Drink Alcohol With Crohn’s Disease?

Here’s what to know about Crohn’s disease and alcohol, including whether it’s safe to drink during flares or while on medication.

Can You Drink Alcohol With Crohn’s Disease?
Adobe Stock (2)
By
Published on May 21, 2025
by

While research on alcohol is evolving, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says drinking less or not at all is better for your health.

If you have Crohn’s disease, you may hesitate before you pour a glass of wine or crack open a beer. Will drinking alcohol upset your symptoms, cause a flare, or make one worse? The answer depends on a few factors, but Crohn’s disease and alcohol often don’t mix well.

Research shows alcohol is the most-avoided beverage among people with Crohn’s, but some studies have found not all of these beverages cause the same amount of harm. How they affect Crohn’s symptoms may vary from person to person.

How Alcohol Affects Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease causes inflammation and damage to your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and drinking alcohol can magnify these effects.

 Alcohol can damage the lining of your intestines, which makes it easier for harmful substances to leak through to the rest of your body.

“Even in healthy people, alcohol can irritate the gut lining and disrupt the balance of bacteria known as the microbiome. For someone with Crohn’s, this can cause worsening inflammation and trigger symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating,” says Kaytee Hadley, RDN, a registered dietitian-nutritionist based in Richmond, Virginia.

“About half of patients with Crohn’s disease report alcohol worsens their symptoms,” says David Gardinier, RD, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition in Ohio and a member of the National Scientific Advisory Committee (NSAC) of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Alcohol may contribute to flares by potentially disrupting your gut’s immune protection, blocking nutrient absorption, and worsening inflammation.

 Drinking alcohol with Crohn’s has also been tied to more intestinal infections, antibiotic use, and an increased need for imaging and biopsies.

The alcohol in drinks often isn’t the only issue. Added ingredients, like sulfate and sugar, can also irritate the lining of your intestines and worsen abdominal pain.

Is It Safe to Drink During a Crohn’s Flare?

During a Crohn’s flare, alcohol can worsen symptoms and increase your risk of bleeding and malnutrition.

 “I recommend patients minimize alcohol consumption during flare-ups,” says Gardinier.

Hadley agrees. “During a flare, the gut is already inflamed and sensitive, so drinking alcohol is like putting fuel on the fire,” she adds. “Not only can it exacerbate symptoms but it can cause more damage in the gut.”

If you’re experiencing flare symptoms, the safest plan is to steer clear of your favorite drink until your flare fades.

Does Alcohol Interact With Crohn’s Medication?

Alcohol can change the way your body breaks down certain medications, which can make their effects on your body unpredictable.

 Some medications have a higher risk for interaction with alcohol, including:

  • acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  • methotrexate (Rheumatrex)
  • metronidazole (Flagyl)
  • cyclosporine (Sandimmune)
  • diazepam (Valium)
  • phenobarbital (Luminal)
  • propranolol (Bedranol)
  • warfarin (Coumadin)
Drinking can also disrupt how your body handles whole groups of medications, including cephalosporins (a class of antibiotic), as well as IBD medications including 5-aminosalicylates like mesalamine (Asacol), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (a class of biologics).

 “It is best to check with a pharmacist to determine if any medications being taken for Crohn’s disease interact with alcohol,” says Gardinier.

Are Some Drinks Safer for Crohn’s Than Others?

Yes. “Some types of alcohol like red wine can provide antioxidants and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria,” says Gardinier.

 In general, alcoholic beverages lower in sugar and carbonation may offer fewer disruptions with Crohn’s.

On the other hand, some drinks can make you feel worse. “Sugary drinks may lead to diarrhea while carbonated drinks like beer can lead to increased gas and bloating in some people,” says Hadley. “Each person is unique in their response to different types of alcohol, so it's important to listen to your body.”

Safe Drinking Practices for People With Crohn’s Disease

It may sometimes be safe to drink alcohol if you have Crohn’s disease, but it’s generally not recommended because it can worsen symptoms.

If you do drink, watch what kind of drinks and how much you consume. As mentioned, the type and amount can make a big difference.

 How alcohol affects symptoms usually varies from person to person. You might react differently to a glass of wine or splash of whisky than someone else with Crohn’s, so be sure to talk about it with your healthcare provider first before you drink, and listen to your body.

The Takeaway

  • Drinking alcohol when you have Crohn’s disease can worsen inflammation and malabsorption (poor absorption of nutrients), and cause symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain.
  • The type of alcohol you drink matters: Red wine may have some anti-inflammatory properties, but drinks high in added sugars and sulfates can worsen symptoms.
  • Alcohol can interact with Crohn’s medications, so it’s always best to ask your healthcare provider if drinking is safe for you.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Ramos GP et al. Alcohol Use in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Gastroenterology & Hepatology. May 2021.
  2. Ranasinghe IR et al. Crohn Disease. StatPearls. February 24, 2024.
  3. Chancharoenthana W et al. Alcohol-Induced Gut Permeability Defect Through Dysbiosis and Enterocytic Mitochondrial Interference Causing Pro-inflammatory Macrophages in a Dose Dependent Manner. Scientific Reports. April 2025.
  4. Martinho-Grueber M et al. Alcohol and Cannabis Consumption in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Prevalence, Pattern of Consumption and Impact on the Disease. European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology. October 2022.
  5. Living Well With Crohn’s Disease: 8 Self-Care Tips. Cleveland Clinic. February 5, 2024.
  6. White BA et al. The Impact of Alcohol in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. May 2021.
  7. What Should I Eat? Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.
  8. Crohn's Disease - Diagnosis and Treatment. Mayo Clinic. October 29, 2024.
  9. Liu B et al. Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Appears to Vary Across Different Frequency, Amount, and Subtype of Alcoholic Beverages. Frontiers in Nutrition. July 2022.
Meet Our Experts
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network

Yuying Luo, MD

Medical Reviewer

Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care for her patients.

Her clinical and research focus includes patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia; patients with lower gastrointestinal motility (constipation) disorders and defecatory and anorectal disorders (such as dyssynergic defecation); and women’s gastrointestinal health.

She graduated from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in molecular and cellular biology and received her MD from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she was also chief resident. She completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and was also chief fellow.

See full bio

Abby McCoy, RN

Author

Abby McCoy is an experienced registered nurse who has worked with adults and pediatric patients encompassing trauma, orthopedics, home care, transplant, and case management. She is a married mother of four and loves the circus — that is her home! She has family all over the world, and loves to travel as much as possible.

McCoy has written for publications like Remedy Health Media, Sleepopolis, and Expectful. She is passionate about health education and loves using her experience and knowledge in her writing.

See full bio
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network