“Can stopping alcohol consumption prevent liver cirrohosis?”
I am 35 years old and since the last 6 years I have been regularly consuming alcohol. However, recently, people have warned me about the damage alcohol consumption could cause to my liver. Can I prevent conditions like liver cirrohosis if I stop consuming alcohol now?
1 Answer
Diana Stefani-Hunyady
Hepatologist
The liver is basically the key detoxifying "factory" in the body, having to process a lot more toxins than just alcohol (for example, any drugs/medicines we take, good additives, etc). So, the question to be asked is when and what are we doing to allow the liver to regenerate or prevent overloading it.
Alcohol consumption alone should not be damaging (if moderate), but when all other toxins have to be processed, then the liver gets easily overloaded. Some things are also cumulative (meaning that they are not so easy to eliminate and, if consumed regularly, will just continue to pile up). Essentially, it is not the extreme of abstinence that is important, it is the moderation in everything and practicing regular liver detox days (every other month or so) that counts.
Alcohol consumption alone should not be damaging (if moderate), but when all other toxins have to be processed, then the liver gets easily overloaded. Some things are also cumulative (meaning that they are not so easy to eliminate and, if consumed regularly, will just continue to pile up). Essentially, it is not the extreme of abstinence that is important, it is the moderation in everything and practicing regular liver detox days (every other month or so) that counts.
