Alcohol and pancreatitis
Learn more about pancreatitis and why alcohol causes most chronic cases of the condition.
Your pancreas is a small, important organ located behind the stomach. It produces enzymes to break down food in your gut, and hormones that are involved in metabolism - including insulin which regulates your blood sugar levels.
Pancreatitis causes serious illness because the pancreas becomes inflamed, potentially causing damage to the cells of this vital organ. Alcohol is an important cause.1
If you choose to drink alcohol, limiting your consumption to stay within the Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines (no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days with several drink-free days, and no bingeing) means you’re much less likely to develop pancreatitis.2
There are two main types of pancreatitis: acute and chronic. Although alcohol is not the only cause, both chronic and acute pancreatitis can be caused by heavy drinking.3 Other causes of acute and chronic pancreatitis, which are unavoidable, are genetic and autoimmune disorders.
If you suddenly develop severe abdominal pain that is not relieved by usual measures, the NHS advises you to see your GP immediately, or if that isn’t possible, call 111 for advice.
Acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed (swollen) over a short period of time.
Symptoms of acute pancreatitis include a severe, dull pain around the top of your stomach which typically comes on quickly, feeling or being sick, diarrhoea, and you may have a high temperature.4
In the UK around one in four cases of acute pancreatitis are caused by alcohol.5 If acute pancreatitis is caused by alcohol, symptoms might follow either regular heavy drinking or binge drinking (drinking heavily in a single session).
If you’re diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, you should stop drinking alcohol completely and eat a low-fat diet to reduce your risk of another attack and of developing chronic pancreatitis.
Both men and women can get acute pancreatitis due to alcohol, but drinking is more commonly the cause for men (women are more likely to get it due to gallstones).6
Acute pancreatitis causes the pancreas to become swollen and painful. Most cases require admission to hospital, typically for a few days, with the majority of cases getting better within a week.
However, serious complications can develop in severe cases, such as infections which can spread from the pancreas into the blood – potentially causing fatal kidney failure. And if you suffer from acute pancreatitis repeatedly, this can cause permanent damage to this vital organ, leading to the long-term condition of chronic pancreatitis.
With acute pancreatitis, even if it was not caused by alcohol, you should avoid drinking alcohol completely for at least six months to give the pancreas time to recover. After that, it’s best not to drink alcohol, but if you choose to return to drinking, be aware that it is important to stick to the UK low risk drinking guidelines. Continued heavy drinking will increase the risk of further episodes of acute pancreatitis and of developing chronic pancreatitis.
How does alcohol cause acute pancreatitis?
It is not yet understood exactly how alcohol causes acute pancreatitis.7 One theory is that alcohol molecules interfere with the cells of the pancreas, stopping them working properly.
The more alcohol you drink, either regularly or during a binge session, the greater your risk of developing acute pancreatitis, often recurrently.8
Heavy drinking and acute pancreatitis
Heavy drinking can lead to repeated episodes of acute pancreatitis. Over time, this can permanently damage your pancreas, leading to chronic pancreatitis.9,10
Continuing to consume alcohol once you’ve recovered from acute pancreatitis can make a future episode not only more likely, but also more serious.
Chronic pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis is when the pancreas becomes inflamed and painful and stays that way for years, interfering with its ability to work properly.
Heavy drinking is the single most important risk factor for chronic pancreatitis, responsible for between 70–80% of cases in western Europe.11
Regularly drinking more than the UK low risk drinking guidelines (no more than 14 units a week for both men and women, spread over three or more days with several drink-free days, and no bingeing) increases your risk of developing chronic pancreatitis.
The most common symptom is repeated episodes of severe abdominal pain, typically located below the ribs and through to the back. Other symptoms of chronic pancreatitis can include:
- Greasy, floating and foul-smelling bowel motions
- Weight loss
- Yellowing of eyes and skin (jaundice)
Chronic pancreatitis due to alcohol most commonly develops in men aged 30-40 years old who are long-term heavy drinkers. Women are less commonly affected.
Many people who develop alcohol related chronic pancreatitis have a history of recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis.12,13 Smoking also increases your risk of developing the condition.14 In people with genetic or autoimmune causes of chronic pancreatitis, it may develop at a younger age and without any alcohol consumption.
Do not drink alcohol if you have chronic pancreatitis
If you have chronic pancreatitis you must stop drinking alcohol completely. That includes avoiding any ‘alcohol-free’ drinks – as these can contain up to 0.5% ABV (alcohol by volume).
Your pancreas will be unable to work properly and any alcohol can make the condition worse, causing more damage to your pancreas. Damage from chronic pancreatitis can be irreversible.
It is a serious long-term condition that needs permanent medication and a carefully designed diet to help digest food and to maintain normal blood sugar levels. The pain can be debilitating, and chronic pancreatitis can affect both quality of life and life expectancy.
Chronic pancreatitis also increases the risk of other serious illnesses, including diabetes15 and increases the risk of pancreatic cancer,16 one of the cancers with worst outcomes, by more than tenfold.
Why you must stop drinking alcohol completely if you have pancreatitis
If you are diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis you must stop drinking alcohol completely.
Completely stopping drinking alcohol will prevent further alcohol-related damage to your pancreas. If you carry on drinking, you are likely to experience very severe pain as well as further damage to your pancreas. And if you have non-alcohol related chronic pancreatitis, it's just as important for you not to consume any alcohol.
If you’re finding it hard to stop drinking, or worried you might be dependent on alcohol, speak to your GP for advice on how to stop drinking.
Talk to someone
Drinkchat is a free online chat service. Trained advisors are on hand between 10am-2pm, Monday to Friday, to provide confidential advice.
If you can’t contact Drinkchat in those hours, or would prefer to talk to someone on the phone, you can call Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm) and speak to a trained advisor.
Further advice and information
Arming yourself with strategies and tips can help you or a loved one take small steps towards big results.
References
[1] Yadav, D. and Lowenfels, A.B. (2013). The epidemiology of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Gastroenterology, 144(6), 1252-1261.
[3] Yadav, D. and Lowenfels, A.B. (2013). The epidemiology of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Gastroenterology, 144(6), 1252-1261.
[6] Lankisch, P.G., Assmus, C., Lehnick, D., Maisonneuve, P. and Lowenfels, A.B. (2001). Acute pancreatitis: does gender matter? Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 46(11), 2470-2474.
[7] Clemens, D.L., Schneider, K.J., Arkfeld, C.K., Grode, J.R., Wells, M.A. and Singh, S. (2016). Alcoholic pancreatitis: New insights into the pathogenesis and treatment. World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology, 7(1), 48.
[8] Yadav, D. and Lowenfels, A.B. (2013). The epidemiology of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Gastroenterology, 144(6), 1252-1261.
[9] Ali, U.A., Issa, Y., Hagenaars, J.C., Bakker, O.J., van Goor, H., Nieuwenhuijs, V.B., Bollen, T.L., van Ramshorst, B., Witteman, B.J., Brink, M.A. and Schaapherder, A.F. (2016). Risk of recurrent pancreatitis and progression to chronic pancreatitis after a first episode of acute pancreatitis. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 14(5), 738-746.
[10] Kleeff, J., Whitcomb, D.C., Shimosegawa, T., Esposito, I., Lerch, M.M., Gress, T., Mayerle, J., Drewes, A.M., Rebours, V., Akisik, F. and Muñoz, J.E.D. (2017). Chronic pancreatitis. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 3(1), 1-18.
[12] Kleeff, J., Whitcomb, D.C., Shimosegawa, T., Esposito, I., Lerch, M.M., Gress, T., Mayerle, J., Drewes, A.M., Rebours, V., Akisik, F. and Muñoz, J.E.D. (2017). Chronic pancreatitis. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 3(1), 1-18.
[13] Yadav, D. and Lowenfels, A.B. (2013). The epidemiology of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Gastroenterology, 144(6), 1252-1261.
[14] Yadav, D. and Whitcomb, D.C. (2010). The role of alcohol and smoking in pancreatitis. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 7(3), 131.
[15] Kleeff, J., Whitcomb, D.C., Shimosegawa, T., Esposito, I., Lerch, M.M., Gress, T., Mayerle, J., Drewes, A.M., Rebours, V., Akisik, F. and Muñoz, J.E.D. (2017). Chronic pancreatitis. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 3(1), 1-18.
[16] Kleeff, J., Korc, M., Apte, M., La Vecchia, C., Johnson, C.D., Biankin, A.V., Neale, R.E., Tempero, M., Tuveson, D.A., Hruban, R.H. and Neoptolemos, J.P. (2016). Pancreatic cancer. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 2(1), 1-22.
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Last Reviewed: 1st March 2023
Next Review due: 1st March 2026