I take alcohol daily. Will it affect my health?

TL/DR

No amount of alcohol is safe for health!

Harmful effects of alcohol starts from the first drop and recently, World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that no amount of alcohol is safe - Read more about it here.

What does alcohol do to the liver?

Alcohol related liver disease (ARLD) refers to liver disease caused due to excessive alcohol consumption.

It can be of 3 types –

1. Fatty liver – It is excessive fat deposition within the liver which causes enlargement of the liver. It can occur within days of harmful alcohol use but is reversible when alcohol use is stopped for at least 2 weeks.

2. Alcohol-associated hepatitis – It is acute inflammation and swelling of the liver and is characterized by death of liver cells. This may be the first warning sign that alcohol misuse is damaging your liver. Mild alcoholic hepatitis is usually reversible with cessation of alcohol use; however, severe alcoholic hepatitis is a serious and life-threatening condition.

3. Alcohol-associated cirrhosis – It is irreversible damage to the liver characterized by scarring of the liver. Although irreversible, stopping alcohol use can prevent its progression and increase life expectancy. People who do not stop consuming alcohol after being diagnosed with alcohol related cirrhosis have a less than 50% chance of survival for at least 5 more years.

How much alcohol will affect the liver?

A standard drink contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol. Usually upto 3 drinks/day in men and 2 drinks/day in women are considered safe.

In patients with liver disease due to other causes (e.g., Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, etc.) no amount of alcohol consumption is considered safe.

Alcohol related cirrhosis occurs when people consume more than 60-80g/day alcohol for more than 10 years.

Binge drinking (more than 5 drinks for men and 4 drinks for women in 2 hours) is associated with poor outcomes and should be avoided.

What symptoms will I have if alcohol is affecting my liver?

No symptoms until liver is severely damaged.

Once liver is severely affected, the symptoms include loss of appetite, weakness, weight loss, yellowish discoloration of eyes and/or urine, swelling in ankles and tummy, confusion, or drowsiness and/or vomiting blood or passing blood in your stools.

Is alcohol-related liver disease treatable?

Cessation of alcohol use is the mainstay of therapy for ARLD.

There are medications available to decrease alcohol craving and treat alcohol use disorder, which your Hepatologist may prescribe in conjunction with a de-addiction specialist. Maintaining adequate nutrition is important in patients with alcoholic hepatitis and alcohol related cirrhosis. Typically, a high calorie, high protein diet is recommended and diets deficient in calories have been linked to poor outcomes. Care should be taken to prevent infection. Patients who do not improve with alcohol abstinence and medical measures often require liver transplant as the definitive therapy.