The Liver's Worst Enemy: How Social Drinking Can Turn Deadly from Alcoholic Fatty Liver

We all love to celebrate big occasions, promotions, and birthdays with a few drinks. But if you're guzzling down one too many every time, you could be setting yourself up for disaster. It's easy to get addicted to alcohol, especially when you're young and carefree. But this addiction can lead to the development of an "alcoholic fatty liver," which can eventually progress into liver cancer.

Alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen by the WHO

That's right, since 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified alcohol as a carcinogenic food, meaning it has the potential to cause cancer. As of now, there are no completely safe guidelines for alcohol consumption. In fact, any amount of alcohol can be a potential health hazard.

Drinking alcohol excessively over time can lead to serious health issues, including alcoholic fatty liver disease - one of the most common health problems in urban areas. When you drink alcohol, the ethanol in it is metabolized by your liver. But, when your liver is continuously processing alcohol, toxins are produced and can damage liver cells. This can prevent your liver from metabolizing fat, leading to fat accumulation and inflammation of the liver cells. As a result, your liver health can deteriorate.

How alcoholic fatty liver can progress to liver cancer

According to statistics, about 80% of chronic drinkers develop this disease. Symptoms can include nausea, weight loss, fever, and high blood pressure.

If left unchecked, the inflammation of the liver caused by alcohol abuse can gradually worsen over time and eventually lead to irreversible cirrhosis of the liver. Once cirrhosis sets in, the body can become swollen, weak, and yellow-eyed. Even worse, the risk of developing liver cancer increases significantly.

Saying no to alcohol: the key to preventing liver cancer

The extent of fatty liver or cirrhosis is directly related to the amount of alcohol consumed. Thankfully, in the early stages, alcoholic fatty liver can be reversed by quitting alcohol completely. Along with a healthy diet and moderate exercise, giving up alcohol can keep you away from the risk of liver cancer.

Changes in the liver can be difficult to detect as they may not present any symptoms. Regular health check-ups are therefore essential to identify any potential issues early on and ensure timely treatment, which can help minimize any liver damage.

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