Alcohol's Health Effects: The Threat of Liver Disease

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Alcohol's Health Effects The Threat of Liver Disease From Buddy T, your Guide to Alcoholism Fatty liver, the most common form of Alcohol-induced liver disease, is reversible with abstinence. More serious ALD includes alcoholic hepatitis, characterized by persistent inflammation of the liver, and cirrhosis, characterized by progressive scarring of liver tissue. Either condition can be fatal, and treatment options are limited. The Threat of Liver Disease Alcohol and the Liver Approximately 10 to 35 percent of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis, and 10 to 20 percent develop cirrhosis. In the United States, cirrhosis is the seventh leading cause of death among young and middle-age adults. Approximately 10,000 to 24,000 deaths from cirrhosis may be attributable to alcohol consumption each year. Alcohol Liver Disease What happens is the liver begins to harden. Scar tissue develops in the body's largest organ which hinders its ability to filter blood. When the scar tissue develops to a certain point, the liver can no longer do its life-saving work. Genetics and Alcohol Liver Disease 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. SAMe and Liver Disease The supplement SAMe which proved disappointing as a treatment for arthritis and depression as it was originally promoted, may now offer some hope for those who suffer from chronic liver disease. Did You Know... Alcohol and Sleep Alcohol consumption can induce sleep disorders by disrupting the sequence and duration of sleep states and by altering total sleep time as well as the time required to fall asleep. This email is written by: Buddy T Alcoholism Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Missing a lesson? Click here. About U. is our collection of free online courses designed to help you learn a new skill, solve a problem, get something done, or just learn more about your world. Sign up now, and we will email you lessons on a daily or weekly basis. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the About.com 'Alcohol's Health Effects' email. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2010 About.com   Advertisement