Can Drinking Too Much Alcohol Hurt Your Liver? Physician Describes
How Alcohol Affects the Liver: Drinking too much alcohol has serious negative effects, including damage to the liver. The liver is an essential organ that performs a number of critical tasks for our body, including boosting immunity, supporting metabolism, improving digestion and detoxification, and storing vitamins. A portion of your liver’s cells perish with each alcohol your liver filters. The NHS states that although the liver can regenerate new cells, years of chronic alcohol abuse (drinking excessive amounts) may limit this capacity. Drinking alcohol may harm the liver by causing extreme edema and inflammation.
Dr. Sanjay Khanna, Director and Head of Gastroenterology at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, discussed the link between excessive alcohol use and liver damage as well as other disorders connected to the liver with Jagran English.
As a gastroenterologist, Dr. Khanna said, “I see firsthand the harm that excessive alcohol consumption causes to the liver.” It is critical to recognize the necessity of comprehending and treating liver-related issues brought on by overindulgence. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which may range from fatty liver to serious disorders including alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis, can be brought on by long-term alcohol use.
How is the liver affected by alcohol?
Dr. Khanna claims that prolonged excessive drinking causes the liver to become incapable of processing alcohol, which leads to scarring, inflammation, and decreased liver function. It’s critical to recognize that moderation or complete abstinence from alcohol may substantially avoid liver damage.
The increasing frequency of this issue among younger age groups is especially worrisome. Youth stress, social views, and easier availability of alcohol are some of the causes influencing this development. It highlights the urgent need for early intervention and education to combat the rising prevalence of alcohol-related liver disease among young people, having personally seen the consequences of this trend.
It is critical to emphasize how important it is to have a healthy lifestyle in order to save our livers. Seek medical advice and assistance if you or someone you know has an alcohol addiction in order to stop more damage and advance general wellbeing.
