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Drinking Alcohol With NASH

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By Editorial Team

2 min read

Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body. It helps digest food, stores energy, and removes harmful toxins. But drinking alcohol can harm your liver. If you have nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) – a serious liver condition – it is very important to understand how alcohol affects your liver.1

How alcohol affects the liver

When you drink alcohol, your liver works to break it down. This process creates harmful chemicals that can damage liver cells. Over time, drinking too much alcohol can cause inflammation in the liver (alcoholic hepatitis) and buildup of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the liver. This can lead to serious conditions like permanent scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and liver failure.1

Your liver can repair itself to a point. But heavy or frequent drinking makes this difficult. This is why many people who drink heavily develop alcohol-related liver disease.1,2

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Alcohol-related liver disease vs. NASH

Alcohol-related liver disease happens because of drinking large amounts of alcohol over time. It usually starts with fat buildup in the liver, called alcoholic-associated liver disease. If drinking continues, fat buildup can progress to fibrosis and then to cirrhosis.2

NASH is different. It is a type of fatty liver disease that is not caused by alcohol. Instead, it is linked to health conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. People with NASH have liver inflammation and liver damage along with fat buildup in the liver. This is similar to alcohol-related liver disease, but alcohol is not the cause.3

Doctors can tell the difference between alcohol-related liver disease and NASH by asking about your alcohol use and doing diagnostic tests.2,3

Can alcohol make NASH worse?

Research shows that alcohol may increase the risk of fibrosis in the liver and could worsen liver function for people with NASH. Even though alcohol is not the cause of NASH, it still puts stress on your liver. If your liver is already inflamed or damaged from NASH, alcohol may speed up the damage. This increases the risk of serious problems like cirrhosis and liver failure.4,5

Recent studies show there is no “safe” amount of alcohol consumption. A 2020 study found that even light drinking is not safe for those with liver problems, including NASH.5

In addition, alcohol consumption can increase the chances of metabolic syndrome and obesity. These 2 chronic health conditions are closely linked to NASH.4

Should people with NASH avoid alcohol?

Yes, doctors advise people with NASH to avoid alcohol. Some experts say avoiding it entirely to protect the liver is probably best. Not drinking alcohol can help slow the progression of liver damage, improve your overall health, and reduce the risk of complications.5,6

If you find it hard to stop or cut back on drinking, talk to your doctor. They can help you find resources to help you quit. Support groups and counseling can also be helpful.1

Talk to your doctor

If you are living with NASH, you must take extra steps to protect the health of your liver. This means:4-6

  1. Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet
  2. Getting regular exercise
  3. Managing other health conditions, like obesity and type 2 diabetes
  4. Avoiding alcohol (or at least significantly reducing the amount)

Talk to your doctor if you have questions about alcohol and NASH.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The NASHDisease.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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