Systemic Consequences of Chronic Ethanol Intake: From Microbiome Shifts to Metabolic Impairment

To address this, we utilized a physiologically relevant long-term mouse model, administering 20% EtOH in drinking water for 60 weeks, to investigate the integrated consequences of chronic exposure. EtOH-consuming mice (0.4-0.5 mL/day) exhibited >30% reductions in both chow and fluid intake, resulting in a 12% decrease in total caloric intake compared to controls (P<0.001).

Body mass remained similar until week 52, after which EtOH-treated mice had lower body mass due to reductions in both lean and fat mass (P≤0.004). Functional assessments revealed impaired treadmill endurance (-17%) and grip strength (-11%) (P≤0.037), while motor coordination remained unaffected (P=0.203). Chronic EtOH exposure significantly altered gut microbiota composition, reducing Lactobacillus and enriching Faecalibaculum, Clostridium, and Bifidobacterium at the genus level.