Alcohol-related liver disease is a growing health problem around the world. Many people enjoy drinking alcohol socially, but drinking too much—especially over a long period—can do serious harm to your liver.
The liver is one of the most important organs in your body. It helps clean your blood, digest food, and store energy. But when it is forced to break down too much alcohol, it can become damaged and stop working properly.
When you drink alcohol, your liver works hard to break it down. In doing this, the liver creates toxic substances. These toxins can damage liver cells. If you keep drinking a lot of alcohol regularly, your liver can become inflamed, build up fat, develop scars, and eventually stop working. This damage happens in stages.
The earliest stage is called alcoholic fatty liver disease. This means fat starts building up inside the liver cells. It can happen even after a short period of heavy drinking. The good news is that this stage is usually reversible if you stop drinking.
The next stage is alcoholic hepatitis. This is when the liver becomes inflamed. It is not the same as hepatitis caused by a virus. People with alcoholic hepatitis might notice yellow skin and eyes, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. In some cases, it can be very dangerous and even life-threatening.
The most serious stage is cirrhosis. This means that the liver has become badly scarred and can’t work as it should. Cirrhosis can lead to liver failure, internal bleeding, and the need for a liver transplant. Once cirrhosis develops, the damage is usually permanent.
Recognizing the signs of alcohol-related liver disease early can make a big difference. Some early signs include feeling tired all the time, yellowing of the skin or eyes (called jaundice), and pain or swelling in the stomach area. You might also feel sick or lose your appetite. In more advanced cases, people can become confused or forgetful. This happens because the liver can’t remove toxins from the blood, and those toxins affect the brain—a condition called hepatic encephalopathy. Other signs include red palms and small, spider-like blood vessels on the skin.
The best way to avoid this kind of liver disease is to drink less alcohol or stop drinking altogether. If you already have some liver damage, the most important step is to stop drinking completely. This can prevent further damage and may even allow your liver to heal, especially in the early stages.
It’s also a good idea to get regular checkups, especially if you drink often or have other health risks. Doctors can use blood tests and scans to check how well your liver is working. In some cases, liver damage can be found before you even have symptoms.
Research has shown that quitting alcohol—even after serious damage has occurred—can improve health and increase life expectancy. Many people who stop drinking can live longer, healthier lives. Treatment might include seeing a liver specialist, working with a support group, or using medications to help manage symptoms.
Alcohol-related liver disease is serious, but it’s also largely preventable. If you or someone you know drinks heavily and is noticing signs like tiredness, yellow skin, or stomach problems, don’t ignore them. Talk to a doctor. Early action can save lives and help people feel better, faster.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about how alcohol affects liver health and disease progression, and even one drink a day could still harm blood pressure health.
For more health information, please see studies that your age may decide whether alcohol is good or bad for you, and people over 40 need to prevent dangerous alcohol/drug interactions.
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