The liver is our largest internal organ and it has 500 different roles, including the breakdown of food into energy and helping the body get rid of waste products and fight infections - particularly in the bowel1. And yet, when your liver is damaged, you generally won’t know about it – until things get serious.
Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of developing liver disease and cause irreparable damage to this very important part of your body. In fact, alcohol is a major cause of the 25% increase in deaths from liver disease in England over the last decade (from 9,231 in 2001 to 11,575 in 2009)2.
Overall, alcohol-related liver disease accounts for well over a third (37%) of liver disease deaths. And figures show victims of liver disease are getting younger – more than one in 10 of deaths of people in their 40s are from liver disease, most of them from alcochol-related liver disease3.
The types of liver disease
There are many types of liver disease, three of the most common are:
Alcohol-related fatty liver-disease
Where the liver is damaged after alcohol abuse.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
A build-up of fat within liver in liver cells.
Viral (Hepatitis)
An inflammation (swelling) of the liver caused by a viral infection.
Autoimmune (chronic hepatitis)
Severe form of hepatitis where blood cells attack and destroy liver cells.
All types of liver disease above can cause damage to the liver. The advice on this page is specific to alcohol-related liver disease.
Alcohol-related liver disease can be prevented if you understand the impact excessive alcohol drinking can have on your liver and take-steps to control the amount you drink. For more information on how alcohol affects your health, read about the short and long-term effects of alcohol in your body.
How does alocohol impact the liver?
Liver disease is the term used to describe damage to the liver. There are two types of liver disease:
Acute is when liver problems develop over a few months
Chronic is damage over a number of years
There are lots of different causes of liver disease, including drinking alcohol to excess which causes ‘alcoholic liver disease’. Scientists are not sure exactly why drinking too much alcohol can damage your liver but the reasons include:
Oxidative stress. When our liver tries to break down alcohol, the resulting chemical reaction can damage its cells. This damage can lead to inflammation and scarring as the liver tries to repair itself.
Toxins in gut bacteria. Alcohol can damage our intestine which lets toxins from our gut bacteria get into the liver. These toxins can also lead to inflammation and scarring.
