Seek medical treatment of alcoholic liver disease as soon as you discover early signs of liver damage from alcohol. As cirrhosis advances, with more and more scar tissue forming, it continues to reduce the liver’s functionality until ultimately the condition becomes life-threatening.
Contact our alcohol rehab in Gilbert, AZ, to get help answering any questions or schedule a free assessment at (480) 526-7738.
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- Causes Cirrhosis of the Liver
- How Does Alcohol Affect the Liver?
- How Much Alcohol Will Cause Cirrhosis of the Liver?
- Best AUD Treatment in Gilbert, Arizona
Cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the final stage of liver disease in which the damaged liver tissue is being replaced by scar tissue that does not function. For people suffering from alcoholism who are fortunate enough to get addiction treatment early, the heartbreaking outcome of liver cirrhosis can be avoided. Through the liver cirrhosis stages, scar tissue continues to increase and interferes with the normal flow of blood through the liver, impeding the organ’s ability to:
- Process and store some essential nutrients.
- Sequester or alter various toxic elements in the blood.
- Treat toxins in preparation for elimination from the body.
- Facilitate fat absorption by manufacturing bile.
- Metabolize drugs ingested.
Causes Cirrhosis of the Liver
Research from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a division of the NIH, estimates between 10% to 15% of people afflicted with alcoholism develop cirrhosis of the liver. Data shows a correlation between binge drinking and a higher risk for advanced liver disease. That means the amount of alcohol consumption is a key risk factor for alcohol-related liver cirrhosis,
The many diseases and health conditions that can cause cirrhosis of the liver include these, among others:
- Alcoholic liver disease caused by alcohol abuse damages the liver and its functions. Cirrhosis is the state of the liver after it has become increasingly damaged through the progressive stages of alcoholic liver disease.
- Hepatitis B and C, and other viral liver infections
- Fatty liver disease (non-alcohol related)
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and other diseases that impact bile ducts.
- Certain drugs of very diverse types can lead to liver damage. Some of those include seizure medicines, contraceptive pills, anabolic steroids, statin medications, and others.
How Does Alcohol Affect the Liver?
Alcohol adversely affects liver health because the liver is the body’s primary defense mechanism to metabolize alcohol. Habitual or excessive alcohol consumption can overload the liver’s capacity to process alcohol effectively. This can lead to liver diseases like hepatitis, fibrosis, steatosis, or cirrhosis.
The parenchymal cells of the liver comprise around about 70% of the total liver mass. These are the main processing centers for alcohol. Enzymes in the liver convert alcohol into a chemical substance, which ultimately breaks down into carbon dioxide and water for excretion from the liver.
How Much Alcohol Will Cause Cirrhosis of the Liver?
Habitual or excessive alcohol consumption is defined differently for men and women. The standard measurement is around 0.5 ounces of pure alcohol in an alcoholic beverage. Based on that scale, either of these ways of drinking can lead to liver cirrhosis:
- Chronic (habitual) drinking:
- Binge drinking, which means:
- For women, consuming 2 or more ounces in one episode.
- For men, consuming 2.5 or more ounces in one episode.
Not everyone who drinks alcohol experiences the same symptoms. However, long-term alcohol abuse or heavy use is recognizable as AUD. Heavy use is quantified for women at around 10 to 20 ounces of ethanol per day and, for men, about 20 to 40 ounces per day.
Continuing at the level of consumption described above for around 10 to 12 years is considered a strong predictor of eventual liver disease, which can advance to cirrhosis of the liver.
Renaissance Recovery Center for AUD Treatment
Our addiction recovery staff is available to you 24 hours, 7 days per week. We’re here for you anytime you need us. You’ll never get a recording. We offer a free consultation, so you can get all the information you need about treatment, types of therapy, costs, insurance coverage, and other details about our programs. Our addiction treatment specialists work with you to develop a program that ideally fits your personal needs.