A moderate amount of alcohol is broken down by the liver without any damage.
However, when drinking excessively, the liver can transform alcohol into fat and accumulate these lipids and become injured or seriously damaged. Liver injury can be determined by histology, abdominal ultrasonography and by testing the blood concentration of certain enzymes, such as gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate amino-transferase (AST), and alanine amino-transferase (ALT).
Many years of alcohol abuse can lead to fatty liver and cirrhosis. The most common form of liver disease, however, is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, (NAFLD). Already 30 to 40% of adults suffer from it and 30% of overweight children. However, not only overweight people are affected, but also those with “normal weight”.
Fatty liver does not hurt, but it poses significant health risks: NAFLD is now considered the underlying cause of metabolic disorders i.e., metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. It also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. In the worst cases, fatty liver – whether as NAFL or caused by long-term alcohol abuse – can develop via liver inflammation to cirrhosis and even liver cancer.
Moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages can reduce the risk of developing NAFLD. Some studies even suggest a protective effect. However, there is still speculation about the causes. It is possible that moderate amounts of alcohol improve insulin action and thus counteract fatty degeneration of the liver. The diminishing effect of the hormone insulin (insulin resistance) is a major factor in the development of fatty liver.
The above summary provides an overview of the topic, for more details and specific questions, please refer to the articles in the database.
