Can You Drink Moderately With Fatty Liver Disease? What an MD Wants Women To Know
Women are more sensitive to alcohol-related liver damage. See four smart sips that are a better bet
It’s no secret that drinking alcohol to excess can take a toll on the liver. In fact, overdoing it can cause one of the two main forms of fatty liver disease, a health-sapping condition that impacts over 40% of Americans. But if you’ve already been diagnosed with the condition, you may be wondering can you drink moderately with fatty liver? We asked the experts to find out.
Why even worry about fatty liver?
“Fatty liver disease, or hepatic steatosis, occurs when excess fat builds up in the liver cells,” explains Sean Ormond, MD, founder of Atlas Pain Specialists in Glendale, Arizona. “The liver normally contains a small amount of fat. But when fat constitutes more than 5-10% of the liver’s weight, it becomes problematic. “
There are two main forms of fatty liver disease: Alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) is caused by heavy alcohol intake. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is associated with metabolic syndrome. This is a cluster of conditions that includes abdominal obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high blood triglycerides.
AFLD can progress to alcoholic hepatitis, and MASFD can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Either form of fatty liver can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis, liver failure and even liver cancer.
And as experts reporting in the journal Frontiers in Medicine point out, both forms have been linked to increased risks of heart disease in the long term.
Can you drink moderately with fatty liver disease?
First, let’s establish what’s considered “moderate drinking”. The guidelines for women define moderate drinking as up to one 12-oz. glass of beer, one 5-oz. glass of wine or 1.5-oz. of distilled spirits daily. But if you have fatty liver disease, can you drink moderately?
“For women with fatty liver disease, even moderate drinking is generally discouraged,” says Dr. Ormond. “Alcohol consumption can accelerate the progression from simple steatosis to more severe forms of liver disease, including cirrhosis or liver cancer.”
Indeed, a study in the journal BMJ Open suggests consuming alcohol at any level can worsen fatty liver disease. Plus, women are more susceptible to alcohol-related liver damage than men.
“This heightened vulnerability makes alcohol consumption particularly risky for women with fatty liver,” Dr. Ormond notes. Your best bet? If you’ve been diagnosed with the condition, abstain from alcohol completely to prevent damage to your liver.
The best drinks for fatty liver disease
While moderate alcohol drinking may be off the table if you suffer from fatty liver disease, there are plenty of other beverages you can enjoy.
Among the liver-friendly sipping strategies Dr. Ormond and other experts recommend:
1. Coffee
“Regular, moderate coffee consumption (2-3 cups per day) is often recommended for individuals with fatty liver disease,” says Dr. Ormond.
And with good reason: Findings in the Journal of Clincial and Experimental Hepatology linked sipping two or more cups of coffee daily to lower incidence of scarring, cirrhosis and liver cancer in patients with pre-existing liver disease.
“The benefits are thought to come from the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in coffee, such as chlorogenic acids,” Dr. Ormond explains.
2. Matcha green tea
Green tea is high in EGCG, a catechin compound that reduces the uptake of fat by the liver. So say authors of an International Journal of Molecular Medicine study.
They found participants who drank three cups of catechin-rich green tea daily for 12 weeks experienced significant improvements in liver function and liver fat levels.
Tip: For best benefits, sip a powdered form of green tea known as matcha. According to a study in the Journal of Chromatography, it’s up to 137 times higher in EGCG than other types of green tea.
3. Beetroot juice
Adding a scoop of beetroot powder to your morning smoothie adds more than rosy color. “Beetroot is high in betaine, which may help protect the liver from damage and reduce inflammation,” Dr. Ormond notes.
And according to experts reporting in the journal Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science, folks with fatty liver who added beetroot powder to their diet showed improvements in liver function within 12 weeks.
4. Cranberry juice
Sipping a “soda” made of equal parts unsweetened cranberry juice and carbonated water in place of sweetened soft drinks is another smart strategy to ward off inflammation of the liver.
In a Journal of Hepatology study, drinking just one sugar-sweetened beverage daily upped the odds of developing fatty liver disease by 61%.
But according to a report in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, cranberries and their juice contain a compound called pterostilbene that can reduce fat accumulation in the liver.
For more on preventing and managing fatty liver:
Is Fatty Liver Dangerous? What Doctors Want Women Over 50 To Know
Top Doctors Reveal Their 7 Best Fatty Liver Disease Self-Care Tips: Weight Lifting, Waling, More
Your Guide to a Fatty Liver Diet: MD Reveals What To Eat and What To Avoid
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
