Alcohol Consumption – Cause of Liver Damage or Not?
Alcohol is one of the most abused substances by adults and teens in America, with significant health and safety risks. While most are aware of the role alcohol plays in liver damage and the harmful effects of alcohol consumption, many tend to do so without being fully aware of the health risks of excessive alcohol consumption. The liver is one of the most important organs in the body, and when it comes to alcohol, it can have devastating effects.
How Much Time Does Alcohol Take to Metabolize?
On average, it takes about an hour for the body to process an alcoholic drink. Each additional drink increased this amount of time. The more a person drinks, the longer it takes to process the alcohol. This is because the liver cannot process so many things at once. When a person drinks too much, the alcohol that the liver leaves unprocessed circulates in the blood and begins to affect the heart and brain. You can experience liver failure symptoms and this is how people get drunk. Two liver enzymes begin to break down the alcohol molecule so that the body can eventually eliminate them.
Alcohol and Liver Damage
One of these enzymes, ADH, helps convert alcohol into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is only present in the body for a short time, but it is highly toxic and known to be a carcinogen. Some small amounts of alcohol are also removed from the body through the formation of fatty acid compounds. These compounds become a cause of liver damage.
The toxic effects of acetaldehyde or alcohol-induced liver damage have been linked to the development of cancers of:
- Mouth
- Throat
- Upper respiratory tract
- Liver
- Colon and
- Breasts
Chronic alcohol consumption (drinking 4 or 5 drinks at a time) also destroys liver cells, progressing from fatty liver to alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation) to cirrhosis (scarring). However, heavy drinkers can develop alcoholic cirrhosis without first developing hepatitis.
Is There a Safe Amount of Alcohol?
While there is no safe amount of alcohol you can take, you can reduce your risk of liver damage by drinking less. Individuals can drink in moderation by limiting their intake to two drinks or less per day for men or one drink or less per day for women. Here, mindful drinking is the best way for the chronic drinker to maintain their liver health.
What is the Treatment for Alcoholic Liver?
There is currently no specific medical treatment for alcoholic liver disease. The main treatment is to stop drinking, preferably for the rest of your life. This reduces the chance of further damage to the liver and gives it the best chance of recovery. If a person is dependent on alcohol, stopping drinking can be very difficult. And for such patients, many nutrition companies like ‘Avenir Nutrition offer liver supplements.
Final Thought
You can reverse the signs of liver damage if you live a healthy lifestyle, take less consumption of alcohol, and take liver health formula supplements on regular basis. To learn more about liver treatment, email to Avenir support team or request an online appointment today!
