Alcohol Liver Disease

If you are a daily drinker, you can reduce your risk of developing liver disease significantly if you start planning several alcohol-free days every week.

He knew the only way to save his life was to quit drinking, but he just couldn't stop, no matter how he tried.

Although many advances have been made in the detection and treatment of chronic liver disease in the past 40 years, the prognosis for patients with alcohol liver disease has not improved significantly.

Research studies have emphasized the serious health effects of long-term heavy drinking, from an increased risk for having accidents to developing liver cancer.

The following email exchange between a visitor to the About Alcoholism site and Guide BuddyT graphically illustrates the effects of long-time alcohol abuse.

New research shows that genetic factors may determine those at increased risk of developing liver disease when certain genes trigger a strong immune reaction in response to alcohol which damages the liver.

The supplement SAMe, which has been promoted as a treatment for arthritis and depression, may now offer some hope for those who suffer from chronic liver disease.

Alcoholic liver disease usually occurs after years of excessive drinking. The longer the duration of alcohol use and the greater the consumption of alcohol, the greater the probability of developing liver disease.

The finding of two separate populations of immune cells in the liver may help doctors understand the mechanisms by which the liver is damaged and repaired and could lead to future treatments.

It is not only the amount of alcohol consumed that can lead to liver disease and cirrhosis, but drinking patterns may also contribute to liver damage, and this effect may vary by gender.

Alcohol-induced liver disease is a major cause of illness and death in the United States, sometimes it is reversible, others not.

Frequently asked questions about Hepatitus from the National Women's Health Information Center.

Researchers have developed a new and easy method of detecting cirrhosis of the liver which helps predict the evolution of chronic liver disease, allowing physicians to start proper treatment early on.

Proteomics -- the study of proteins that are synthesized by cells -- has important implications for alcoholism research in terms of identifying biomarkers of alcohol intake, understanding alcohol's effects, particularly on the liver, and developing drugs to treat alcoholism.