Liver health and effects of alcohol

Alcohol has been used for many things for many generations, maybe even as far back as prehistoric times. Alcohol has both positive and negative effects. For example, moderate consumption of alcohol can reduce heart attack risk because it raises the amount of high density lipoproteins (aka “good cholesterol) in the blood stream. It can also improve appetite and assist in the digestion process.
On the negative side, however, alcohol is known to cause mood swings, aggression and perhaps most familiarly, hangovers. Chronic consumption of alcohol and alcohol abuse can increase the risk of cancer, stroke, heart and liver disease.
Alcohol is unlike most foods in the sense that it is not digested. More than 90 percent of it is absorbed by the stomach lining, where it goes straight into the bloodstream. From there the liver breaks down alcohol. This process can vary in the amount of time it takes depending on whether the alcohol was consumed on its own or with food. Generally the effects of alcohol and the speed in which it is metabolized by the liver are much faster when the stomach is empty. On average, it takes 3 to 5 hours to fully break down alcohol.
The liver is particularly vulnerable to damage. Some forms of liver disease include fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) and ultimately cirrhosis or scarring of the liver. Alcohol causes an increase in the number of fatty cells in the liver. Fatty cells can build up quite quickly. These interfere with the body’s ability to utilize omega-3 fatty acids which are required by the body to manufacture good cholesterol.
Located in the upper right of the abdomen, the liver is the main processing center for essential chemical and metabolic functions. It stores vitamins, iron, minerals and glycogen. It also serves to produce cholesterol, amino acids and other compounds. Perhaps the most important function of the liver is to remove harmful waste product from the blood.
The human body is able to function with only one quarter of a healthy liver.
Livers are able to regenerate itself; however continued alcohol use may impair its ability to heal itself. This results in complications such as metabolizing glucose (blood sugar) and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
People with liver disease are typically deficient in fat-soluble vitamins such as A and D. They may also have low blood serum levels of water-soluble vitamins including folate, niacin and thiamine. Alcoholics are especially prone to these deficiencies. Ingesting alcohol puts a great deal of stress on the liver especially in conjunction with a poor diet. Poor liver health as a result of alcohol abuse can ultimately lead to death. Whole or partial liver transplants are sometimes the only recourse a person has when the liver fails.
In order to protect liver health, certain foods can be used. These include fish, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids, dark green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and plant proteins. Ideally excess consumption of alcohol, red meats or saturated fats should be avoided.
January 18, 2011 


