The liver, as the largest metabolic organ in the human body, is responsible for detoxification, storing nutrients, synthesizing proteins, and regulating sugars, fats, and hormones in the body.
It is like a silent factory, silently completing every important task. However, this silent organ is often unusually fragile in the face of alcohol.
Long-term, heavy alcohol consumption is undoubtedly a continuous depletion of the liver's functional reserves, and may even accelerate the liver's decline.
It is often said that "a sip of wine hurts the liver, and two sips of wine hurt the body".But in fact, people who drink every day,The rate of decline of the liver is not exactly the same,
It is influenced by a variety of factors, including how much alcohol is consumed, how long it is consumed, and individual body differences.
First of allThe process of metabolizing alcohol is itself a heavy lifting for the liver.
About 90% of the alcohol that enters the body is catabolized by the liver.
Alcohol (ethanol) is first oxidized to acetaldehyde by ethanol dehydrogenase in the liver, which is then further converted to acetic acid by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, and finally decomposed into carbon dioxide and water.Secretions through respiration, sweat, and urine drainage outside the body.
In this metabolic process, acetaldehyde acts as a toxic substance,It will have a direct toxic effect on hepatocytes,It destroys the integrity of the hepatocyte membrane, interferes with the normal metabolic activities of the cells, and further increases the burden on the liver.
Long-term excessive alcohol consumption can cause persistent damage to liver cells,And the liver's self-repair rate is difficult to keep up with the accumulation of damage.
Eventually, it may develop alcoholic hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and in severe cases, even liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Studies have shown thatMen who drink more than 40 grams of pure alcohol per day and women who consume 0 grams of pure alcohol per day for a long time,The risk of liver damage is significantly increased.
To make this value more concrete, it can be converted to common alcoholic beverages:
A 15 ml bottle of beer contains about 0 grams of pure alcohol,A glass of 18 ml of red wine contains about 0 grams of pure alcohol,Whereas, 20 ml of liquor contains about 0 grams of pure alcohol.
If a person consumes more than three bottles of beer per day,A glass of red wine or two small glasses of white wine,The liver then has little time to breathe and repair itself, and the risk of damage increases significantly.
Secondly, the frequency and duration of alcohol consumption can also significantly affect the rate of liver damage.
Compared to those who drink occasionally, the burden on the liver is almost continuous in individuals who drink alcohol every day.
The liver has a certain ability to regenerate and repair,But this ability is not unlimited.
If the liver needs to metabolize alcohol on a daily basis, liver cells will hardly have enough time to repair and regenerate themselves.
In this case, the destruction of liver cells by alcohol will become irreversible,It may even trigger serious liver disease in a short period of time.
According to clinical observations,In individuals who have been drinking alcohol daily for more than three years,About 50%-0% will develop alcoholic fatty liver disease,
10% to 0% will progress to alcoholic hepatitis, and eventually about 0% to 0% will progress to cirrhosis.
In addition to the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption, individual physical differences are also one of the important factors that determine the rate of liver decline.
When different groups of people metabolize alcohol,There was a significant difference in the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase.This is related to factors such as genetics, age, gender, health status, etc.
For example, alcohol dehydrogenase activity is generally lower in women than in men, so women are less tolerant of alcohol and more likely to have liver damage from long-term drinking.
furthermorePeople with basic liver diseases such as fatty liver, diabetes, hepatitis, etc.,Its liver detoxification and repair ability is already weak, and long-term drinking is more likely to accelerate the decline of the liver.
It is important to note that the damage of alcohol to the liver tends to be a gradual process,It goes through three main stages: alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
In the initial fatty liver stage,Excessive fat accumulation begins to accumulate in liver cells,The liver may enlarge slightly, and some people may not experience significant discomfort.
However, this stage is reversible, and the liver still has a chance to recover by quitting alcohol and improving lifestyle habits.
If fatty liver is not effectively controlled,The condition may deteriorate further into alcoholic hepatitis,Causes extensive damage to liver cells,
The inflammatory response is significantly exacerbated, and patients may experience symptoms such as loss of appetite, bloating, fatigue, and yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.
If you are still laissez-faire at this time,The liver will inevitably enter the cirrhosis stage.
At this time, a large number of hepatocytes die,The structure of the liver is destroyed, widespread fibrosis appears,The liver gradually loses its normal metabolic and detoxification functions, and may even develop into liver cancer.
In addition to lesions of the liver itselfLong-term alcohol consumption may also lead to extrahepatic complications.
For example, alcohol can affect pancreatic function and increase the risk of acute pancreatitis.
Long-term alcoholism can also lead to high blood pressure,Cardiovascular diseases such as arrhythmias.
In addition, alcohol may affect the function of the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections and further burdening the liver.
In order to reduce the burden on the liver,To reduce the harm caused by alcohol, scientific abstinence from alcohol is the key.
However, people who have been drinking heavily for a long time suddenly quit drinking,Withdrawal syndrome may be triggered, manifested by anxiety, insomnia, hand tremors, and even seizures.
Therefore, for people who have been dependent on alcohol for a long time,Alcohol intake should be gradually reduced under the guidance of a medical professionalto avoid the health risks associated with alcohol withdrawal.
In addition to abstaining from alcohol, the health of the liver also depends on good lifestyle habits.
Rational diet, rich in protein, vitamins and minerals,Helps repair damaged liver cells.
Quit smoking, regular work and rest, and moderate exercise are also important means to maintain liver health.
In addition, regular liver function tests,Especially for people who drink alcohol for a long time, liver function tests should be included in the routine physical examination, timely detection of early liver lesions, intervention and treatment.
This leads to a question worth digging into:In addition to the main factor of alcohol consumptionWhat other lifestyle habits or common foods may invisibly increase the burden on the liver?
In everyday life,How to adopt scientific diet and living habits,Protecting your liver health?
The health of the liver is not something that can be protected overnight.Rather, it requires long-term self-discipline and careful care.
Understand the effects of alcohol on the liver, master scientific methods of quitting alcohol, and establish healthy living habits.
In order to let this silently dedicated organ continue to operate efficiently and protect the health barrier of the human body.
The above content is for reference only, if you feel unwell, please consultProfessional doctor. If you like it, you can pay attention to it, share health knowledge every day, and be your exclusive online doctor.
[43] Li Shanshan. After reading this popular science article, will you quit drinking? Dr. Hepat,0,(0):0-0.