Drinking habits that cause liver damage, according to science

Did you know that your liver is about the size of a soccer ball? The essential organ is primarily responsible for filtering the blood that comes directly from the digestive tract, just before it passes it on to the rest of the body. It also helps in removing toxins from the bloodstream, which is why it is important not to overwhelm the liver with substances that can hamper these important functions, such as alcohol and added sugars.

Alcohol sales increased in 2020 as more people spent time at home and also battled high stress levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the livers of Americans are suffering. For example, USC’s Keck Hospital in Los Angeles recently reported that admissions for Alcoholic hepatitis and liver failure increased by 30% last year, compared to the previous year. This particular jump was largely associated with alcohol abuse, however, alcohol is not the only drink that can damage the organ.

Below, you’ll see five drinking habits that could wreak havoc on your liver. And then, don’t miss 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work for tips on how you can get in shape this year.

While the most recent USDA dietary guidelines continue to say that drinking up to one glass of alcohol a day is good for women’s overall health, one study suggests otherwise. According to a 2018 study published in the journal Lancet Public Health, the likelihood that a healthy woman will develop cirrhosis or advanced scarring of the liver caused by liver diseasewas higher in those who reported drinking alcohol daily than in those who drank less often.

Conclusion: Having a drink of alcohol every other day (or less) can be the key to keeping your liver healthy.

The USDA dietary guidelines recommend that men limit their alcohol intake to just two alcoholic drinks per day to stay healthy, but it’s important to make sure the measurement is correct. A standard drink in the United States is defined as 14 grams of alcohol – this might sound like 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of table wine, or 1.5 ounces of alcohol. Unfortunately, women have a higher risk of liver damage compared to men for any level of alcohol consumption, according to a 2019 study in the journal, Hepatology.

In another study, it was found that men (and women) over the age of 50 were at greater risk for cirrhosis and non-cirrhotic liver damage when they drank alcohol without meals, compared to those who only drank at mealtimes. Even more interesting, the study suggests that occasional binge drinking is less likely to cause liver damage than drinking a small amount of alcohol per day. According to the CDC, men are twice as likely to drink heavily as women.

Conclusion: Drinking alcohol with meals can be essential in preventing liver disease in older men.

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According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of hepatology90% of the 271 obese children and adolescents included reported drinking soda and other sugary drinks at least once a week. Liver biopsies revealed that 37.6% of children had a condition called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is a form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

People with NASH have a buildup of fat in the liver, which is accompanied by inflammation and damage to liver cells. This can cause scarring in the liver, called cirrhosis, which can then lead to liver cancer. Researchers suggest that reducing children’s fructose intake may help lower their risk for NASH and NAFLD.

Conclusion: Limiting the consumption of soda and other sugary drinks in children can help prevent the development of harmful liver disease.

One advantage of opting for diet soda over regular soda is that you avoid all the excess added sugar. However, one study suggests that there is a major pitfall in going the sugar-free route. According to a 2008 study published in The Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, people who drank diet Coke were more likely to have moderate to severe NAFLD.

Conclusion: Limit your intake of diet products as you would with its sweet counterpart.

If you look at the nutrition label on the back of a can produced by one of the biggest brands of soda, you will most likely see high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) among the top three ingredients. Hyper-sweet artificial sugar, derived from corn syrup, has been linked to a variety of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. However, studies have also shown that high consumption of HFCS can also trigger NAFLD., according to the National Institutes of Health. In fact, one of these studies found that mice that followed a diet high in HFCS for long periods of time experienced a deterioration of their intestinal barrier.

Conclusion: The less HFCS you consume, the more you will reduce your risk of NAFLD and other health problems.

For healthier swaps, check out 25 Healthy, Low Sugar Alternatives.