Have you ever wondered what alcohol does to your liver function?
Drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver in two main ways. Liver disease is the term used to describe damage to the liver and there are two types. Acute is where liver problems develop over a short period and chronic is where liver damage is done over a number of years.
Scientists are not too sure exactly why drinking too much alcohol can damage your liver but reasons include Oxidative stress (where the chemical reaction from breaking down alcohol damages the liver cells) and toxins in gut bacteria, where alcohol damages the intestine which lets gut backteria get into the liver. This results in inflammation and scarring.
If you drink most days of the week, you will increase your risk of developing liver disease. The NHS identifies two groups as at a high risk of developing serious types of liver disease. They are men who drink 35 units or more and women who drink 28 units or more in a week, over a period of 10 years.
If you are worried about your liver there are steps you can take to reverse the damage. The main one is refraining or moderating your alcohol intake. You can also eat better and lastly to keep track of what you are drinking. Your liver can’t tell you that you’re drinking too much until it is too late so act now.
Beechcroft Retreats provides a liver detox course over 7 days. Click here for more information.
