Is there a link between alcohol and COVID mortality? As a scientist, I was curious because alcohol is known to harm the immune system. So I decided to investigate if there is any difference in Covid-mortality in various countries with respect to their alcohol consumption.

Methods of the Study

I obtained per capita COVID mortality – deaths per 1 million population –  from an authentic website, www.worldometers.info ¹

The WHO (World Health Organization) website was used to find out the top 10 countries with the highest alcohol consumption, and the top 10 countries with the lowest alcohol consumption.²

In addition, I utilized a trustworthy website, ourworldindata.org, to look at the vaccination rates in these countries.³

Results of the Study

Here are my findings:

Covid Mortality Rates Among the Highest Alcohol Consumption Countries

The top 10 countries with the highest alcohol consumption had mortality rates in excess of 2300 with the exception of one. Belarus was the only country with a mortality rate not above 2300.

Covid Mortality Rates Among the Lowest Alcohol Consumption Countries

7 out of 10 countries with the lowest alcohol consumption had mortality rates less than 226. At the same time, 3 remaining countries had mortality rates between 520 and 785.

Conclusion

Excess alcohol consumption may be one of the risk factors for increased mortality from COVID. The other known risk factors include old age, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, Vitamin D deficiency, chronic lung disease, smoking, and immunosuppressive drugs.

Discussion About Alcohol And Covid Mortality:

It is a known medical fact that alcohol consumption increases your susceptibility to pneumonia, acute respiratory stress syndromes (ARDS) and sepsis. ⁴

These three conditions are also responsible for most deaths from COVID.

How Alcohol Damages the Immune System

1. Alcohol damages the lining of the lower respiratory tract. It also destroys immune cells in the alveoli – the lung air sacs. In this way, alcohol makes you more susceptible to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndromes (ARDS) and sepsis.
2. In addition, alcohol has deleterious effects on the lining of the intestines. Moreover, it damages the intestinal microbiome, a community of trillions of micro-organisms that live in your intestinal tract. Your microbiome plays a key role in the health of your immune system.
3. Additionally, alcohol consumption causes magnesium deficiency, which is a risk factor for cytokine storm. Studies link magnesium deficiency to increased risk of dying from COVID.⁵
4. Zinc deficiency is another deleterious effect of alcohol.  It reduces zinc absorption from the intestines and increases its excretion in the urine. Zinc deficiency may be one of risk factors that increases COVID-mortality.⁶

In Summary

Excess alcohol intake may increase your risk of dying from COVID, based on the current available data on COVID mortality in different countries with various degree of alcohol consumption. Therefore, you may consider cutting down or stopping your alcohol intake.

References

1. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#main_table
2. https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/alcohol-use-disorders-(15-)-12-month-prevalence-(-)-with-95-
3. https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4590612/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7861592/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8571905/