Why is Alcohol Harmful for People with Hepatitis?
Avoiding alcohol is the most important lifestyle change you should make after a viral hepatitis diagnosis. Why? Because drinking alcohol accelerates the rate of progression of the liver disease. When the alcohol gets into the body, 95% of it will be metabolized in the liver. Inside the liver cells, alcohol turns to acetaldehyde, which is even more toxic to the liver than the original form of alcohol. The alcohol and its metabolite intoxication cause the liver to inflame and long-term drinking causes the inflammation to be persistent. This onset of inflammation leads to an over-production of free radicals that can further damage liver cells and impair their functions. Alcohol also reduces the production of antioxidants, which are the body’s natural defenses against free radicals. When these harmful effects are added to the strain of the liver inflammation caused by the HBV or HCV infection, the progression of fibrosis can accelerate dramatically. On top of exacerbating inflammation, Ace
