Most people have heard that drinking alcohol is bad for the liver. While not a drug used for healing individuals (even though they may think it helps!), alcohol remains a dangerous, if not the MOST dangerous commonly used drug.
The liver has a tough job- it has to filter out toxins, break down byproducts, and process many drugs! While it's trying to perform this huge function, alcohol consumption adds to the burden!
Look at this picture. Can you believe that drinking can do this massive damage! People tend to miss or ignore the dangers of drinking. Anything you put in the body has to be processed and broken down, or REMOVED. Alcohol must be broken down in the liver!
Alcohol is a predominant cause of liver problems, from fatty liver disease to liver fibrosis to cirrhosis.
Excessive drinking is bad. Period. But many different complications come about when you mix alcohol with other substances. For example, people who drink heavily and take acetaminophen may see a compound effect in the liver. That means your liver is getting hurt even more! My point with this post is to show that 1) alcohol itself is bad on the liver and 2) alcohol in COMBINATION with other drugs can add up to way more damage.
Did you know that daily drinkers have at more of a risk that binge drinkers? People who have a problem with drinking, or have lived ten or twenty years with constant damage to their livers have an increased risk for cirrhosis of the liver.
If you think you have a problem with drinking, check out this site. While abstinence and portion control are major factors in preventive health, there has been substantial research on other supplements and drugs that actually help the liver. Milk thistle, PPC, and other antioxidant 'good guys' come to mind. While my team does not condone alcohol abuse, the treatments outlined in that site may offer some options to people who are trying to improve or save their liver function!
1 comment:
So basically be nice to your liver if you want to keep it!
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