Can The Liver Heal Itself From Alcohol Abuse?

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Can The Liver Heal Itself From Alcohol Abuse?

In This Guide

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

The liver can heal itself from alcohol abuse by
developing new liver cells after alcohol misuse.

Fibrosis reduces the liver's ability to regenerate, with 35% of alcoholics developing liver disease as a result [1].

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Liver Recovery Following Alcohol Abuse At A Cellular Level

Magnesium Levels

Magnesium levels rise during liver recovery due to:

The liver starting to synthesise serum albumin
The liver no longer being affected by portal vein hypertension [2]

Every 100mg increase in magnesium into the liver due to liver recovery causes a 49% decrease in the risk of alcohol related liver disease mortality [3].

Golgi Apparatus

During liver recovery, the Golgi apparatus counteracts the fatty degeneration of cells and slows the process of fatty liver disease [4].

Endocytosis

Endocytosis decreases by up to 40% in fatty liver disease, but increases fully in recovery [5].

Hepatic Autophagy

Hepatic autophagy removes up to 40% of damaged organelles, lipids and proteins in the liver during recovery [6].

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Liver Recovery Following Alcohol Abuse At A Physical Level

Weight Loss

When the liver recovers it is able to process fats and remove them from the body, causing weight loss [7].

Skin Changes

During liver recovery, skin conditions begin to improve, such as:

Jaundice
Finger clubbing
Rosacea

Spider angiomas
Palmar erythema
Paper money skin

Coordination and Motor Function

There is a 35% improvement in motor function and memory of patients after 1 year of cellular liver recovery [8].

Liver Recovery Following Alcohol Abuse At A Psycho-Social Level

Denial

Physical evidence of alcoholism such as liver diseases stops an alcoholic from denying alcoholism.

Increased Sociability

Recovering from physically visible skin conditions such as jaundice allows the alcoholic to socialise more and be less self conscious about their appearance.

Less Secrecy

After the liver has physically recovered, alcoholism has typically been addressed, and there is no longer need for the alcoholic to be secretly drinking.

Conditions For Liver Healing

Ideal Conditions For Healing The Liver

Medical support as required - alcohol detox either in a hospital or residential facility [9]
No other conditions causing liver disease - such as obesity or hepatitis [10]
Not living in poverty - poverty causes an 86% increase in drinking alcohol [11]

Sub-Optimal Conditions For Healing The Liver

Medical support as required - alcohol detox either in a hospital or residential facility [12]
Other conditions causing liver disease - such as obesity or hepatitis
Living in poverty

How Drinking Patterns Influence The Liver's Ability To Recovery From Alcohol Abuse

	Non Drinkers	Social Drinking	Binge Drinking	Chronic Alcoholism
Liver Damage	0%	+23.27%	+50%	+40.90% [13] [14]
Recovery Time	0 Hours	6-72 hours	3-6 months	3-6 months [15] [16]

How The Alcoholic Can Help The Liver Recover From Alcohol Abuse

Maintaining a healthy diet - high in fruits and vegetables, low in fat and salt
Drinking 2 litres of water per day
Regular exercise - at least 150 minutes per week of riding a bike, water aerobics or walking [17]
Avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea or energy drinks

Liver Injury And Recovery In Animals

Testing of liver injury in rodents demonstrates differences in liver injury and healing between humans and animals; as rodents have a 5 times faster metabolic rate leading to a lower blood alcohol concentration [18].

Testing found that the rodent liver develops steatosis, cirrhosis and cell death in the same way as the human liver, with abstinence from alcohol being the only way to reduce the damage [19].

Groups At-Risk Of Reduced Liver Recovery Following Alcohol Abuse

IV Drug Use

25% of IV drug users contract hepatitis C, preventing liver recovery [20].

Genetics

Inherited diseases such as hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease or cystic fibrosis can cause up to a 20% increased risk of liver disease [21].

Hepatitis

Hepatitis causes the death of cells, leading to liver hepatomegaly in 60% of sufferers [22].

Primary Biliary Cholangitis

PBC causes the liver to fail as the body attacks its own bile ducts [23].

When The Liver Cannot Heal Itself From Alcohol Abuse

24.58% of chronic drinkers are at risk of developing liver cirrhosis, that the liver cannot heal itself from [24].

Alcohol abuse causes a 5.2% increased risk of death by liver cancer in those consuming more than 125g of ethanol per day [25].

Complications When Healing The Liver Following Alcohol Abuse

Pre-Existing Illnesses

Viruses that deplete the liver's ability to heal itself are:

HSV Hepatitis - mortality rate 80% [26]
CMV Liver Failure - mortality rate 25.3% [27]
Hepatitis C - mortality rate 6.3% [28]

Age

In those 65 and over, liver volume decreases by 20-40% and blood volume decreases by 35%, decreasing the liver's ability to heal itself following chronic alcohol abuse and liver diseases [29].

When It Looks Like Liver Healing From Alcoholism, But Isn't

	Clearer Thinking	Higher Energy Levels	Improved Appetite	Improved Jaundice
Stopping certain medications	No	Yes	Yes	Yes [30] [31]
Unblocked bile ducts	No	No	Yes	Yes [32]
Hepatitis Healing	Yes	No	Store Name	Yes [33]
Alcohol leaving the system	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Liver healing	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes [34]

About the author

Harriet Garfoot

Harriet Garfoot BA, MA has an Undergraduate degree in Education Studies and English, and a Master's degree in English Literature, from Bishop Grosseteste University. Harriet writes on stress & mental health, and is a member of the Burney Society. Content reviewed by Laura Morris (Clinical Lead).

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Last Updated: September 5, 2023