How Alcohol Affects Your Liver—and How to Reverse the Damage
The liver is a vital organ that plays a critical role in detoxifying harmful substances, producing essential proteins, aiding digestion, and storing nutrients. Unfortunately, one of the most damaging substances to the liver is alcohol . Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to serious liver diseases that may ultimately require the expertise of a liver transplant physician to manage or treat. In this blog, we explore how alcohol affects your liver, the signs of liver damage, and steps you can take to reverse or minimize the harm. The Liver's Role in Processing Alcohol When you consume alcohol, your liver is responsible for breaking it down. However, the liver can only process a limited amount of alcohol at a time. When intake exceeds its processing capacity, toxic byproducts begin to accumulate in your body. One such toxic byproduct is acetaldehyde , a compound that damages liver cells, promotes inflammation, and weakens your immune system. Over time, this can lead to chroni...