I drink alcohol 3-4 times a month and usually consume 6-8 beers on each occasion. I wanted to know if there was anything I could do or take (supplements, food, etc) to prevent liver damage and cirrhosis. I don't want to stop drinking because I enjoy it and I don't believe I abuse it. But I also realize that drinking can cause problems down the road. Anything I can do to prevent liver cirrhosis or damage without stopping drinking altogether?
2006-10-31 06:16:41 · 7 answers · asked by Fred F 1 in Health ➔ Other - Health
BTW, I am 25 and Have been drinking moderatly since I was 17.
2006-10-31 06:17:11 · update #1
Even though the frequency that you drink per month is moderate, the total alcohol intake you consume each time is excessive (6-8 beers per sitting). The health care provider's rule of thumb is to take any self reported alcohol intake and double it. You are probably really binge drinking each weekend, given your reported habits.
Cirrhosis is a combination of genetics and environment. If you have had hepatitis (esp. Hep C or B) that can put you at increased risk for cirrhosis. Ditto for certain medications metabolized by the liver, like ibuprofen, aceteminophen and the like. Some herbal supplements are also metabolized by the liver. Your liver's purpose is to detoxify your blood, and it can heal itself, to an extent. Cirrhosis is basically loss of the liver's ability to regenerate, and the liver cells become filled with fatty deposits that ruin their effectiveness. Eventually cirrhosis can become liver cancer, which has a high fatality rate.
If you want to be safe and continue drinking, cut back your alcohol consumption by half. Limit yourself to 3 beers 2-4 times per month. Avoid combining aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, etc) with alcohol. Make sure you avoid any activities that would get you infected with hepatitis, such as unprotected sex, poor handwashing and sharing infected needles. Alcohol also thins the blood, so be aware that you are prolonging the time it takes you to clot by consuming liquor on a regular basis. At your age, you have been drinking hard for a long period of time, so if you want to stay healthy you need to cut back now.
2006-10-31 06:29:26 · answer #1 · answered by phantomlimb7 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
6-8 beers IS excessive....no matter how long you go between days of drinking...it's way too much and will cause liver damage in the future. You should cut it back to no more than 3 at a time. You also started drinking too young and that has caused some harm already to your liver. I suggest not drinking--not only do I see cirrhosis in your future--I see AA meetings (I hope for your sake.)
2006-10-31 06:20:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Drinking alcohol is not the only way to suffer liver damage. People who have never taken alcohol have cirrhosis of the liver and other associated diseases. While it used to be thought that only chronic alcoholics got this disease, science and medicine now knows that other factors can come into play.
Moderation of anything is always the best. If you cut one drink per month, that's one less beer, could keep you from having some of the medical problems some people so readily have.
2006-10-31 06:22:35 · answer #3 · answered by bigmikejones 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first thing you need to worry about if you "don't want to stop drinking" is that you could turn into an alcoholic. That will pretty much have to happen first before you do sufficient damage to your liver that you begin to develop cirrhosis...
Beware. Its a sneaky disease!
2006-10-31 06:25:02 · answer #4 · answered by Clarkie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well i will state know that i am no physician. however, in my view i dont c 3 - 4 times a month as a problem. actually every weekend isnt a problem either i mean like if u were to drink fri sat n sun it would still be cool. my friends father died of cirrihosis of the liver n he was a heavy beer only beer drinker for years every single day trust me from wat uve described ur far from that point.
my same friends mom drinks heavy hard liquor the same kind every day like 6/8 liquor and 2/8 coke ive known my friend for bout 6 yrs her moms still alive i dont kno how to prevent it but i think ur doing and will be just fine.
2006-10-31 06:22:18 · answer #5 · answered by hovas_wife 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nothing is known to prevent it if youre going to drink...dont take tylenol or other meds that have liver effects. some drink like crazy for 50 years with nothing, others sip for 5 and get liver disease. Look out for other causes of hepatitis, unprotected sex, iv drug abuse etc.
2006-10-31 06:19:53 · answer #6 · answered by David B 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
dont drink. anything can happen in the process.
2006-10-31 06:26:04 · answer #7 · answered by MiaDiva28 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋