Alcohol, the gut microbiome, and liver disease

Abstract

The microorganisms inhabiting our gastrointestinal tract are critical for human health. Chronic heavy alcohol use can modulate the composition and function of the gut microbiota, thereby exacerbating end-organ damage via the gut–brain axis and the gut–liver axis. In this review, we summarize the bacterial, fungal, and viral gut microbial compositional changes associated with alcohol use and alcohol-associated liver disease and discuss the mechanisms of action by which gut dysbiosis reinforces alcohol use behavior and liver inflammation and injury. We also highlight important pre-clinical and clinical trials that target gut microbial-specific mechanisms for the treatment of alcohol use disorder and alcohol-associated liver disease.