The mission of the American

Liver Foundation is to assist,

support and promote education
and research for the
prevention, treatment and cure
of liver disease.

Drinking alcoholic beverages is widely

seen as a common way for individuals to
socialize, celebrate, and or relax. However,
when alcohol is consumed in excess it can
cause detrimental affects to the body, whether
it be through short or long term use.
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD)
encompasses a group of diseases caused by
damage to the liver and its function due to
excessive alcohol consumption/abuse.1 It does
not occur in all heavy drinkers, however,
ones chance will increase as does the amount
of alcohol consistently consumes over a long
period of time. ALD is currently on the rise
within populations affecting just one in ten
Americans.2
Moderate alcohol consumption:
Women: 1 drink per day
Men: 2 drinks per day
Heavy Drinking:
5 or more drinks per day on at least 5 of the
past 30 days.

Helpline: 1-800-465-4837

Alcoholics Anonymous is an international

nonprofit organization whose mission is to help
any and all individuals who have a drinking
problem.
A.A. World Services, Inc.
475 Riverside Drive at West 120th St. - 11th
Floor
New York, NY 10115
(212) 870-3400
http://aa-intergroup.org.
1.

Lehrer, J. (2014). Alcoholic liver disease: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.

Retrieved March 24, 2016, from
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000281.htm

2.

American Liver Foundation. (2013). Liver Disease - The Big Picture. Retrieved
March 29, 2016, from
http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/liverlowdown/ll1013/bigpicture/

3.

Marsano, L. S., Mendez, C., Hill, D., Barve, S., & McClain, C. J. (2003). Diagnosis
and treatment of alcoholic liver disease and its complications. Alcohol Research and
Health, 27, 247256.

4.

Mayo Clinic. (2015). Symptoms and causes - Alcoholic hepatitis - Mayo Clinic.
Retrieved March 28, 2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/alcoholic-hepatitis/symptoms-causes/dxc-20163923

5.

American Liver Foundation. (2015). Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. Retrieved March

28, 2016, from http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/alcohol/

ALCOHOLIC
LIVER
DISEASE
An overview of the types of
alcoholic liver disease and their
associated symptoms

Gallbladderhelper.com

Alcoholic fatty liver is the earliest stage of

alcohol related liver disease. It a common
condition where an accumulation of fat is
stored within the liver cells of the body.3 This
occurs due to the livers inability to metabolize
the fat that the liver stores, quick enough. The
two most common causes of fatty liver are
heavy drinking and alcoholism.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS C

ALCOHOLIC CIRRHOSIS

Alcoholic Hepatitis C is a condition

characterized by the inflammation and damage
of the liver that further begins to interrupt its
proper function.4 It is often called the silent
disease because many individuals can live
with it for years before they experience any
symptoms. By the time symptoms do appear,
liver disease has already advanced and must
be treated soon before it advances to the next
stage.

Alcoholic cirrhosis is when the liver has

suffered severe damage from excessive
drinking, thus disabling its abilities to carry out
a hefty amount of its daily functions.5 Alcoholic
cirrhosis is also the most progressive stage of
alcohol-induced liver injury that has life
threatening complications, and may even lead
to mortality. A liver transplant will be needed
to extend life past an additional 5 years.

Up to 75% of people do not

know that they have hepatitis C.

Fatty liver has no associated symptoms

and does not tend to cause permanent damage.
However, excessive fat in the liver may cause:

Slight enlargement of the liver

Vague abdominal discomfort
Fatigue

Fatty liver is a condition deemed reversible

and may be resolved by changing behaviors,
such as reducing or abstaining from alcohol
consumption.
About 10-20% of
Americans have too
much fat in their liver.

Jaundice
Portal hypertension, which increases
blood pressure in the vein that travels
through the liver
Skin itching

If and when an individual begins to experience

symptoms, the most common ones are:

Fever
Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Nausea/vomiting
Abdominal pain
Dark urine
Gray-colored bowel movements
Joint pain
Jaundice

http://mysickliver.weebly.com/mdash-stages.html

In most cases, people who drink heavily tend to

progress from alcoholic fatty liver disease, to
alcoholic hepatitis C and then to alcoholic
cirrhosis.5

References
American Liver Foundation. (2013). Liver Disease - The Big Picture. Retrieved March 29, 2016, from
http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/liverlowdown/ll1013/bigpicture/
American Liver Foundation. (2015). Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from
http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/alcohol/
Gilead Sciences. (2015). Hep C Symptoms. Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://www.hepchope.com/rethink-hepatitisc/symptoms?gclid=CK-Iy7yPlswCFVc1aQodzwkBPQ&gclsrc=aw.ds
Healthline Editorial Team. (2015). Fatty Liver. Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://www.healthline.com/health/fatty-liver
Lehrer, J. (2014). Alcoholic liver disease: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 24, 2016, from
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000281.htm
Mann, R. E., Smart, R. G., & Govoni, R. (2003). The epidemiology of alcoholic liver disease. Alcohol Research and Health, 27, 209
219.
Marsano, L. S., Mendez, C., Hill, D., Barve, S., & McClain, C. J. (2003). Diagnosis and treatment of alcoholic liver disease and its
complications. Alcohol Research and Health, 27, 247256.
Mayo Clinic. (2015). Symptoms and causes - Alcoholic hepatitis - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcoholic-hepatitis/symptoms-causes/dxc-20163923.