Why do some alcoholics develop liver disease while others do not?
Nutrition may play a role in the development of alcoholic liver disease. Animals have been instrumental in investigating this possibility. Some studies have found that baboons consuming a nutritionally adequate diet while deriving half of their total calories from alcohol can develop liver fibrosis and even cirrhosis after several years. These findings suggest that alcohol causes liver damage regardless of nutritional status (14). Other studies have found that rats develop liver scarring, a symptom also seen in humans and baboons, only when fed a high-fat diet in conjunction with alcohol (15). In addition to the role of alcohol and nutrition, there may be a genetic predisposition to liver disease. It is clear that a variety of approaches are still needed to determine the roles of alcohol, nutrition, and genetics in the development of liver disease. Is alcohol equally damaging to the fetus at all stages of pregnancy? Animal research has shown that physical and cognitive damage to the fe
