Key Takeaways:
- Alcohol stops the liver from functioning properly.
- Continued drinking can cause fat buildup, inflammation, and heavy scarring in the liver.
- Long-term alcohol use can result in liver disease and eventual liver failure.
- The first step to treat liver disease from alcohol is to stop drinking.
The liver is a quiet powerhouse that one doesn’t think much about-until it starts failing. Everything ingested into the body eventually passes through the liver, and is filtered and broken down into something the body can use. Not all substances are created equal: the more toxic the substance is, the harder the liver cells must work to break it down. When alcohol enters this central processing hub, the liver works overtime, putting a heavy strain on its cells and causing damage to the organ.
How Does Alcohol Affect the Liver? Cause and effect
Since alcohol is treated by the body as a toxin, the liver goes into high alert when a hard drink arrives. All other substances that are there waiting to be filtered through are pushed to the wayside when there is alcohol to process. Liver disease happens when the liver’s ability to function properly is impaired- and the most common culprit is chronic alcohol use.
Risks of Alcohol on Liver
The stages of liver disease progress from bad to worse:
Fatty liver → alcoholic hepatitis → alcohol cirrhosis → liver failure
This is how it works:
- Heavy Fat Buildup (better known as Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease):
The liver becomes overloaded and starts storing excess fat. This can occur even after short periods of heavy drinking. - Alcoholic Hepatitis:
Frequent drinking can inflame and irritate the liver tissue. It’s hard to ignore the pain, nausea, and jaundice that this reduced liver functioning brings on. - Alcoholic Cirrhosis
Long-term alcohol use can actually scar the liver. It causes healthy tissue to be replaced with stiff, hard tissue that limits the organ’s ability to do its job. - Liver Failure
As damage progresses, the liver may lose its ability to filter out the toxins and produce essential proteins for the body. This can result in fatal complications.
Eventually, the repeated strain can harm the unassuming organ, and it’s often long before you feel any of the symptoms.
What are the first signs of liver damage from alcohol?
Early stages of liver disease arrive with symptoms that are easy to brush off. Tired all the time? It’s easy to dismiss it as lack of sleep. As the condition continues running its course, symptoms become more apparent and harder to ignore. Especially in cases involving alcoholic liver symptoms, there are some obvious signs of illness.
The skin or eyes may take on a yellow tint, known as jaundice. Some people experience abdominal pain, often caused by fluid buildup in the body as the liver struggles to keep up. Other symptoms include nausea, appetite changes, or sudden weight shifts. These symptoms are far from pleasant, but they are an important signal that not all is hunky-dory inside. These early signs will hopefully alert the person to get checked out before the strain on the liver becomes too serious.
Symptom Summary:
- Fatigue and weakness
- Yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
- Stomach pain or swelling
- Nausea, poor appetite, sudden weight shifts
In Jeopardy - Liver failure from drinking
Alcohol and liver damage are a direct cause and effect. Too much beer or table wine, and the liver takes a direct hit. The question is, how much is too much?
The National Institutes of Health defines heavy drinking for men and women:
Men: Consuming 5 or more drinks on any day.
Women: Consuming 4 or more drinks on any day.
The symptoms of liver disease can all lead to the ultimate scare-complete liver failure. When heavy drinking doesn’t stop, the liver slows its filtering system and protein production and starts shutting down completely.
Can It Be Treated? Diagnosis & Treatment
Doctors will diagnose alcohol-associated liver disease based on a combination of different factors.
- Medical history & alcohol use: Doctors will ask about past drinking patterns and overall health
- Physical exam: They will examine the physical signs, like jaundice and swelling.
- Blood tests: They measure liver enzymes and possible clotting to see how well the liver is functioning.
- Imaging Tests: Ultrasounds, CT scans, or MRIs can help detect fat buildup, inflammation, or scarring.
Reversible Damage
Liver damage from alcohol is repairable, but naturally, the sooner it’s caught, the higher the chances are for a full recovery. The liver has an incredible ability to repair itself once heavy drinking is reduced or stopped. According to the American Liver Foundation, liver inflammation can improve once one stops their heavy drinking. And all those damaged cells? The liver can actually regenerate those cells once the alcohol intake is over.
Like most problems in life, the key is early detection and immediate action!
Treatment
The goal of all treatment plans is, quite simply, to stop drinking-to detox completely. Quitting is really hard, but it’s the only way to stop the ongoing damage in its tracks and allow the liver to heal itself.
Treatment for alcohol – induced liver disease can include:
- Alcohol withdrawal support: Rehabilitation centers, like Avenues Recovery, offer a dedicated team of addiction specialists and counselors who guide you toward real healing – not only from liver disease, but from addiction and the things that caused it.
- Medications:
- To help manage withdrawal or cravings
- To reduce liver inflammation
- Nutritional support: Because the liver slowed its production of vital nutrients for the body, people with liver disease will often be deficient. Thiamine is one vitamin that is especially recommended.
- Monitoring: It’s important to take regular blood tests and imaging to track progression, or with time, improvement of the disease.
- Liver transplant: In the advanced stages of the disease, where the liver no longer functions at all, one may have to undergo a liver transplant. Many transplant programs require a long period of sobriety in order to proceed.
Healing Starts Here: When to seek medical care
As soon as you notice any signs of liver disease, like fatigue, weakness, stomach pains or swelling, it’s time to seek medical help - when the problem is most treatable. Drinking affects the liver right from the first shot, so it’s crucial for anyone with a drinking tendency to go for routine check-ups.
Even after you make the brave decision to stop drinking, the struggle is ever. so. real. Old habits die hard, and withdrawal can be really hard. Don’t go through this on your own; there are so many programs especially designed for people who quit alcohol and need a support system.
Avenues Recovery’s treatment programs will back your detox and recovery journey with individual therapy, group counseling, and family support sessions, all led by trained addiction specialists.
Reach out today - the battle of the bottle is easier to take on when you’re not alone.