Ongoing alcohol use can take a toll on your liver. At UC Davis Health, you’ll find compassionate help to reduce its impact on your well-being.
Medically reviewed by Valentina Medici, M.D. on Aug. 29, 2023.
Alcohol-associated liver disease, also called alcohol-induced liver disease, occurs when ongoing alcohol use injures your liver. There are three stages:
At UC Davis Health, you receive services from liver experts (hepatologists) who care about you. Our team understands the challenges that alcohol-induced liver disease can bring to your health and daily life. We are here for the treatments and support you need.
Liver damage from alcohol consumption occurs over time. You might not notice early symptoms. As the condition progresses, your liver can’t function as it should, causing you to feel sick.
Alcohol-induced liver disease may cause:
The primary cause is heavy, ongoing alcohol use. Risk factors for alcohol-associated liver disease include:
Hepatitis C infection can increase the likelihood of alcohol-induced liver damage.
A high-fat diet and excess weight put strain on your liver.
Evaluations include blood tests to assess liver function and check for other conditions, including infections, that cause similar signs and symptoms. We also perform advanced imaging studies, such as ultrasound elastography, which uses sound waves to detect liver damage.
In some cases, we recommend a liver biopsy, taking a tissue sample and examining it under a microscope. A biopsy can confirm an alcohol-induced liver disease diagnosis when other test results aren’t conclusive.
UC Davis Health offers all the assessments you need for an accurate diagnosis. Our extensive experience enables us to detect subtle signs of disease that can be easy to miss. This expertise enables you to start treatments sooner and slow the rate of liver damage.
Our experts offer comprehensive alcohol-associated liver disease care. Treatment for early stage disease can stop liver damage from worsening.
At UC Davis Health, there’s still hope, even if initial therapies aren’t successful. You receive the support you need to push past challenges. We are also one of the few programs in the region offering life-saving liver transplant surgery.
Quitting alcohol is essential. If you need help, UC Davis Health is home to addiction psychiatrists who deliver outpatient substance use disorder treatment.
Alcohol-induced liver disease symptoms can make it challenging for your body to take in the nutrients it needs to promote healing. Our registered dietitians help you make changes to your diet, which may include increasing protein intake and lowering fat and salt intake.
Some people get sick when they suddenly stop drinking. Our inpatient services, which may include intravenous (IV) fluids and medications, help you stay safe and as comfortable as possible.
We deliver therapies to protect your liver while it heals. You may need a procedure to stop internal bleeding or widen narrowed blood vessels in your liver.
A liver transplant procedure replaces your liver with a healthy one from another person.
You can potentially avoid alcohol-induced liver disease by not drinking. Steatotic (fatty) liver disease and hepatitis may be reversible with successful treatment.
10-12%Of Americans are affected
21Drinks per week
14Drinks per week
Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Alcoholic Liver Disease
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol
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