A study shows that three health issues can raise the chance of liver damage if you drink alcohol.
A new study found that if you have a big belly or diabetes, drinking alcohol more than doubles the risk of major liver damage. Dr. Andrew Freeman, head of heart health programs at National Jewish Health, emphasized that high blood pressure and alcohol consumption significantly increase heart disease risk, despite not participating in a study. During big football games, people often eat hot dogs, sausage, bacon, pepperoni, and ham. These processed foods are considered to have a similar cancer risk as cigarettes.
“When you eat a lot of processed foods that are high in fat and sugar, your body produces too much insulin. This can lead to insulin resistance, high blood sugar, and eventually fatty liver,” Freeman said. Drinking on top of obesity increases the risk of heart and metabolism issues, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure, which are linked to waist size.
Almost half of all Americans have high blood pressure, more than a third have pre-diabetes, and around 40% are classified as fat, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
These health problems can cause fat to build up in the liver, which may result in scarring of the liver called fibrosis, according to experts.
“Many people don’t know that before someone gets diabetes, they usually first have fatty liver,” Freeman said. “It’s about how sugar is regulated in the body. When blood sugar levels are high, the liver stores fat to help manage the sugar, and this extra fat can harm how the liver works.”
Drinking alcohol harms liver cells that try to break it down and can cause extra fat to build up in the liver. Too much fat can cause inflammation and damage in the liver, which can lead to cirrhosis. This raises the chance of liver failure and liver cancer.
Dr. Brian Lee, the lead author of the study and an associate professor at the University of Southern California, said that the combination of fatty deposits could explain the sharp rise in liver scarring found in moderate to heavy drinkers with ongoing health issues.
“The findings show that there is a group of people at high risk for liver disease, and that existing health problems could significantly influence how alcohol impacts the liver,” Lee said.
Lee said that not having a big belly, high blood pressure, or diabetes doesn’t mean it’s safe for people to drink a lot of alcohol.
“We know that alcohol is toxic to the liver and all heavy drinkers are at risk for advanced liver disease,” Lee said.
What is a ‘heavy’ drinker?
A new study in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which has information from about 41,000 people. More than 2,200 of them were classified as “heavy” drinkers.
In the study, women who drank more than 0.7 ounces (20 grams) a day and men who drank more than 1.05 ounces (30 grams) a day were labeled as heavy drinkers.
.The CDC says that amount of alcohol is generally considered “moderate” drinking. In the United States, a normal drink contains 0.6 ounces (14 grams) of pure alcohol.
That’s equal to 5 ounces of wine with 12% alcohol, a 12-ounce can of beer that is 5% alcohol or 1.5 ounces (one shot) of liquor (80 proof) or distilled spirts.Experts suggest that many people are not aware of pouring drinks larger than recommended, as they may mistake a five-ounce glass for a full one.People probably drink more than they realize.
Recent studies indicate that having any amount of alcohol can be bad for your health. In January, former US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a strong warning about how drinking alcohol is linked to cancer.
“Drinking alcohol can lead to cancer, but it can be prevented.” This causes around 100,000 new cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths each year in the U.S. This number is higher than the 13,500 people who die in road accidents each year due to alcohol. “Many Americans are unaware of this risk,” said Murthy.
A new report says that in 2019, only 45% of Americans surveyed by the American Institute for Cancer Research believed that drinking booze can lead to cancer.
How to cut back on alcohol
A simple way to fit in at a social gathering is to choose mocktails instead of alcoholic drinks. Some mocktails use store-bought non-alcoholic drinks, herbs, and bitters, while others are just easy mixes of fruit juice, soda, and syrup, according to experts.
If mocktails don’t meet your craving for booze, experts recommend the SMART method to set realistic goals. The abbreviation means:
- Specific: Aim for a realistic goal, like reducing your drinking to three days a week. You can keep adding days until you achieve your final goal.
- Measurable: How many drinks will you reduce, and are you paying attention to the size of your drinks?
- Achievable: Cut down on social events where alcohol might be available as you work towards being alcohol-free.
- Important: Think about how avoiding alcohol can improve your life and health.
- Set a clear time limit to cut down on booze use.
