Health·Posted on Sep 29, 2016Here's Why Alcohol Messes With Your Poop"Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol." —you, singing from the toiletby Caroline Kee BuzzFeed StaffLinkFacebookPinterestTwitterMail You may have noticed that drinking alcohol can sometimes make your poop habits a little...shitty. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Maybe it happens while you're drinking, and you end up trapped in a bar bathroom praying for mercy. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF ...or you spend the entire morning after on the toilet. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF First, let's go over how alcohol is actually processed through your digestive system. Alcohol can ~speed things along~ in your intestinal tract, which is you why you might have diarrhea after drinking. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF But you're also drinking way more fluids than normal, which can loosen and liquify your stools. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Your post-party poop problems might also be tied to certain types of alcohol or mixers. And let's not rule out drunk food, either... View this photo on Instagram And if you already have bowel issues or an intestinal disease like IBS, alcohol can be even worse on your gut. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF But it's not just drunk poops you have to worry about. Sometimes alcohol can have the opposite effect. It also depends how much alcohol you drink. Having food in your stomach might help reduce alcohol's effect on the intestines. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF And hey, sometimes alcohol doesn't cause any poop problems. So it really depends on the person. It's worth noting that severe diarrhea lasting for more than a day after drinking is not normal, so you might want to see a doctor for that. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF And of course, there are more serious bowel issues that can stem from long-term chronic drinking or alcohol abuse. So it's always important to drink responsibly and take care of yourself. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF ...and make sure you're never too far from a bathroom. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF