Alcohol & Your Liver

Have you ever wondered what happens inside your body when you drink that beer, wine or cocktail? Alcohol kicks off a cascade of events in the body, especially in the liver where it transforms. Understanding what transpires when you drink alcohol is important for comprehending the downstream effects.  

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After ingestion, alcohol is quickly absorbed in the stomach and small intestine, rapidly entering your bloodstream and setting the stage for its wide-reaching influence. The concentration of alcohol in your blood is measured by a metric known as blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Factors such as the rate of alcohol consumption, whether you have food in your stomach, your percentage of body fat, and other individual characteristics can influence your BAC.

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Once in the bloodstream, alcohol becomes a traveler, making its way throughout your body. This journey enables it to affect various organs and tissues. In the central nervous system, alcohol acts as a depressant impairing thinking, coordination, and judgment. These effects are responsible for the characteristic relaxation and lowered inhibitions associated with alcohol consumption.

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Alcohol does provide calories (approximately 7 calories per gram), but it lacks any nutritional value. Additionally, unlike other sources of calories such as fat and carbohydrates, alcohol cannot be stored in the body for later use. This places a burden on the liver to break down and remove alcohol from the body as soon as possible.

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The first step in the breakdown process happens when enzymes in the liver convert alcohol into acetaldehyde, a compound that is toxic and potentially harmful to your body. Acetaldehyde has the potential to cause tissue damage and is classified as a carcinogen. The next step converts acetaldehyde into acetic acid, which is a relatively harmless substance that can then be eliminated from the body.

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In light of all of this, it is easy to see how alcohol use can take quite a toll on your liver, especially if you have already been diagnosed with MASLD or MASH. In fact, even moderate alcohol use can significantly increase the risk of progression to more advanced liver disease and cancer. 

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While it is probably best to avoid alcohol entirely if you can, if you want to occasionally have an adult beverage, here are some suggested guidelines: 

• No more than one standard drink per day for women. 
• No more than two standard drinks per day for men. 

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