What Happens to Your Liver When You Drink Too Much Alcohol?

“Consuming Alcohol is injurious to health” – we can see this warning in alcohol ads and on the bottles meant for drinking containing alcohol content.

Drinking is not injurious to health, but overdrinking is definitely harmful to your body. Yes, people who consume alcohol in moderate quantities even on a regular basis, don’t have side effects, even moderate drinking is good for your health.

Also Read: Top 10 Health Benefits of Drinking Beer Daily in Moderation

But here we will talk about what happens to the body if you drink too much alcohol. Do you know excessive alcohol consumption leads to Alcohol poisoning?

Alcohol poisoning is a kind of severe condition that occurs when an individual consumes too much alcohol while leaving no time for the body to process it.

This dangerous state can lead to various harmful effects on the body, particularly the liver. Let’s talk about more this and how to deal with it when someone faces thing kind of situation.  

What is Alcohol Poisoning?

Alcohol poisoning is a life-threatening condition that arises when you consume a large quantity of alcohol in a short span of time.

The body struggles to metabolise alcohol efficiently when it is ingested at such high levels, resulting in toxic substances accumulating in the bloodstream. These toxins put immense strain on the liver, which is primarily responsible for metabolising alcohol.

Also Read: Health Benefits & Side Effects of Drinking Whiskey

In the end, the liver attempts to process the excessive alcohol, and it undergoes extensive damage, leading to a range of severe health complications.

Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning

There are various warning signs and symptoms associated with alcohol poisoning, including irregular breathing, unresponsiveness, pale or bluish-tinged skin, low body temperature, vomiting, seizures, confusion, incoherency, and comatose.

How Liver Controls Alcohol Metabolism?

The liver plays a critical role in alcohol metabolism. It produces enzymes that break down alcohol into less harmful byproducts, such as acetaldehyde and acetate. However, when alcohol consumption exceeds the liver’s capacity, these byproducts accumulate, causing significant harm.

Acetaldehyde, in particular, is highly toxic and can damage liver cells, impair their functionality, and trigger inflammation. Chronic alcohol abuse and repeated episodes of alcohol poisoning can progressively lead to liver diseases such as alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.

Side Effects of Alcohol Poisoning on the Liver

Alcohol poisoning causes severe damage to the liver, impairing its ability to function properly. One of the initial consequences is fatty liver disease, in which excess fat accumulates within the liver cells.

If alcohol consumption continues unrestricted, this condition can progress to alcoholic hepatitis, characterised by liver inflammation.

Alcoholic hepatitis can further advance into cirrhosis, a late-stage liver disease characterised by irreversible scarring, impaired liver function, and potential liver failure or can damage your kidney.

Also Read: How to Keep Kidney Healthy: 5 Natural Ways for Strong Kidney

Furthermore, alcohol poisoning can hinder the liver’s ability to produce essential proteins and blood-clotting factors, leading to malnutrition and bleeding disorders.

Moreover, the liver’s detoxification capacity diminishes, allowing toxins to accumulate in the body, causing further irreparable harm.

How to Recover if Experiencing Alcohol Poisoning?

If you or someone you know is experiencing alcohol poisoning, don’t wait for the symptoms to get worse as any indication of this condition is a life-threatening emergency.

Seek immediate help and attention from medical professionals. Till the ambulance arrives, as per the professional’s advice you do the following things:

1. Stay alert and don’t panic.
2. Keep the person in an upright sitting position.
3. Make sure the person stays awake.
4. Sit near the person and don’t leave them alone.
5. Be ready to provide emergency medical responders with information about the person, what happened and other details you may remember.

Recognizing the dangers of alcohol poisoning and seeking prompt medical attention timely can be crucial in controlling the damaging impact on the liver and overall health.

Understanding the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption serves as a reminder to prioritise responsible drinking and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Keep regular exercise whether at home, eat healthy food and avoid excessive consumption of such beverages.    

Also Read: 5 Exercises or Workouts You Can Do at Home without Equipment

This news article was originally published on moneycontrol.com, edited and published by the telegraph editor.