induced liver disease; does nutrition play a role?
Does Nutrition Play a Role? The question, “Does nutrition play a role in alcohol-induced liver disease?” has been asked many times, but the data still are not definitive. Alcohol alters the structure and function of all organ systems in the body, from the brain to the bone, from the heart to the liver, from the reproductive organs to the immune system. Alcohol ingestion changes hormone levels and compromises the general well-being of the organism. Altered nutritional status caused by deficiencies in proteins, calories, or minerals also produces generalized bodily dysfunction. The damaging effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the liver have long been recognized. The association between fatty liver and alcoholism was described by Rokitanski in 1849 (Rubin 1975), and fat accumulation still is considered the first sign of alcohol-induced liver injury in humans. This is observed also in laboratory animals, in which the acute administration of ethanol has been found to alter blood flow
