US EditionOccasional heavy drinking poses major risk to liver health
Researchers found episodic heavy drinking made fatty liver patients nearly three times more likely to develop advanced fibrosis, even at the same total alcohol intake.
- A study published Thursday, April 2, in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that occasional heavy drinking significantly increases the likelihood of advanced liver fibrosis in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease .
- Affecting one-in-three Americans, MASLD makes the liver vulnerable because it struggles to process large amounts of alcohol consumed in single sittings, triggering inflammation that leads to scarring.
- Analyzing health data from more than 8,000 adults collected between 2017 and 2023, researchers found episodic heavy drinkers were nearly three times more likely to develop advanced liver fibrosis than those who consumed identical amounts spaced over time.
- Principal investigator Brian Lee called the findings a 'wake-up call,' urging medical professionals to prioritize drinking patterns over total volume, emphasizing that 'moderation is best' for long-term liver health.
- Although focused on MASLD patients, Lee noted these findings may apply to the broader population, and future research should investigate whether this drinking pattern increases risks of liver failure or transplant.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Binge drinking just once a month may triple your risk of liver scarring
Many people think that occasional binge drinking is harmless if they otherwise drink in moderation, but new research suggests that assumption may be dangerously wrong. A large U.S. study found that people with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a condition affecting about one in three adults, face a much higher risk of serious liver scarring if they engage in heavy drinking even just once a month.
Planning to drink this weekend? Gurugram cancer specialist shares 5 tips to reduce health risks
Weekends tend to follow a familiar pattern. Plans get made, people step out, and alcohol usually finds its way into the mix. It is not exactly new. Even though experts consistently say there is no completely safe level of drinking, for many, occasional social drinking is just part of how they unwind. That said, there is a difference between drinking casually and drinking carelessly. And that gap matters more than people realise. In a recent Inst…
A new study of researchers at the University of South California Medical Keck University, in the United States, points out that drinking excessively, although only once a month, is sufficient to significantly increase the risk of liver damage. The findings were published in the scientific journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Scientists have analyzed patients with hepatic stethosis associated with metabolic dysfunction (MASLD), which…
Not only the amount of alcohol consumed, but also the way in which it is consumed can have a serious impact on liver health. Infrequent but heavy drinking can be particularly dangerous.
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