[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] During the Chuseok holiday, it is easy to drink more alcohol than usual over a short period. Could suddenly drinking heavily during the holiday put a strain on the liver, even for people who do not usually drink much?
Professor Jung Jae-yoon of the Division of Gastroenterology at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, who also serves as research and clinical affairs director of the Alcohol Research Group of the Korean Association for the Study of the Liver, explained, "Even in otherwise healthy people, drinking a large amount of alcohol over a short period can cause fat to accumulate rapidly in the liver. People with existing liver disease, obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome may be particularly vulnerable to binge drinking." He added, "However, one or two episodes of binge drinking do not immediately lead to alcoholic hepatitis. The risk increases as repeated heavy drinking continues."
Even people who rarely drink can experience temporary changes, such as the rapid accumulation of fat in the liver, if they consume a large amount of alcohol over a short period, as during a holiday. For those who regularly drink heavily, the cumulative amount and duration of alcohol consumption are important. This increases the risk of progressing beyond fatty liver disease to hepatitis, liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis.
If you already have liver disease, such as fatty liver disease or hepatitis, the safest option is to avoid alcohol whenever possible, including during the holiday. In particular, when fatty liver disease is accompanied by metabolic risk factors such as obesity or diabetes, alcohol can further increase the risk of liver damage and advancing fibrosis. In addition, drinking can accelerate the progression of existing chronic liver conditions, such as hepatitis B or C, as well as cirrhosis.
Professor Jung emphasized, "In the long term, it is also important to remember that alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen associated with several types of cancer, including liver cancer. If you already have liver disease, the most important thing is to avoid drinking occasions or maintain abstinence during the holiday."
What, then, should you do to protect your liver after drinking more than usual during the holiday break? It is best to avoid alcohol for the time being and give the liver time to recover. Along with abstaining from alcohol, you should restore the healthy routines disrupted during the holiday by drinking enough water and maintaining regular meals and sleep.
Professor Jung advised, "Rather than expecting hangover remedies, specific foods, or health functional foods to quickly reverse alcohol-related liver damage, you should avoid additional drinking and give your body time to recover. In particular, if you have fatty liver disease, liver disease, or metabolic risk factors such as obesity or diabetes, or if severe fatigue, loss of appetite, jaundice, or other symptoms persist after the holiday, you should visit a nearby medical facility to have your liver function checked."
Jang Jong-ho, reporter
bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
