Homepage > Liver Diet > Alcohol Is Not Your Liver´s Friend And Here Is Why

Why Alcohol Is Not Your Liver´s Friend

In this article, we are talking about alcohol, a depressant drug containing ethanol, and what makes it so harmful for the liver.

Let´s talk about alcohol without sugarcoating... What does alcohol do to your body and specifically, liver? What are the official dietary recommendations?

Let´s talk about alcohol without sugarcoating...

Ok, let‘s get scientific about it: Alcohol is a chemical compound and a depressant drug. The key ingredient of all alcoholic beverages is ethanol. Ethanol is an inflammable, volatile, liquid alcohol. It is the only type of alcohol used in food and beverage production. The same ethanol is also found in cleaning products, hand sanitizers, and… fuel. In other words, when we drink alcohol, we drink the same substance which is used to kill germs on our hands. Sounds scary, doesn‘t it?

What does alcohol do to your body and specifically, liver?

Alcohol is classified as a depressant, a group of drugs that impact the Central Nervous System. Alcohol interferes with vital body functions and can have a number of consequences on our health:

Cause or worsen depression and anxiety
Increase blood pressure and cause heart problems
Cause weight gain and disrupt your metabolism
Disrupt sleep
Negatively impact brain activity (memory, coordination, emotional state etc.)
Increase sugar levels in the blood
Increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer
Cause hormonal imbalance

Alcohol — just as everything else we drink, eat or put on our skin — is metabolized by the liver. As a result, alcohol can have the following negative effects on this precious organ:

Weaken the liver functions and disrupt the natural detoxification process which leads to the build-up of excess toxins in the organism.

Compromise the liver´s ability to regenerate itself.

When alcohol is processed by the liver, it causes the release of free radicals, highly reactive molecular fragments that can cause liver damage.

Cause liver hypoxia and inflammation.

98% of Liver Experts Would Recommend Amsety Bars

Discover the first nutrition bars designed to support liver health.

What are the official dietary recommendations?

In June 2020, the American Cancer Society (ACS) made a radical change in their guidelines on cancer reduction and prevention — it is for the first time that the ACS officially recommends avoiding alcohol completely instead of just limiting its consumption. “It is best not to drink alcohol”, stated the new guidelines of the ACS.