Rise In Liver Disease Among Women Due To Increased Alcohol Consumption

25th November 2024

The festive season is almost up on us again and it is easy to forget about health. Recent reports have confirmed earlier research that women are increasingly dying of liver disease from too much alcohol.

Women are many more times susceptible to developing liver disease than men from consuming alcohol. But men should also be careful as there are plenty of other affects of to much drinking.

It is long term silent killer as no symptoms may appear until you are in your 30's or 40's but it has been known to hit people in their 20's depending on their drinking habits.

There is hope for your liver if you reduce or even quite drinking. In many cases it can recover if you cut down. It is never to late to help you liver and prevent damage that may hit you in later life.

Women are more likely to develop liver damage from drinking alcohol than men, even when they drink the same amount. This is due to a number of factors, including:

Body water content: Women have less body water, which means a smaller volume of distribution for alcohol.

Gastric alcohol dehydrogenase: Women have lower levels of gastric alcohol dehydrogenase, which means their bodies are less able to metabolize alcohol the first time it passes through the stomach.
Estrogen: Estrogen can make Kupffer cells more susceptible to endotoxin.

Cirrhosis progression: Women can develop cirrhosis faster than men.

Other factors that can increase the risk of developing alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) include:
Being overweight or obese
Having a pre-existing liver condition, such as hepatitis C
Genetics

Links
https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/risks-and-causes/alcohol/

BINGE DRINKING AS A RISK FACTOR FOR ADVANCED ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE