MIND YOUR LIVER. IT NEEDS YOU. ™
Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease (ALD) is one of the most common liver conditions—but most people don’t know they have it until it’s serious.
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Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease (ALD) happens when your liver is overwhelmed by alcohol. Your liver works hard to break down alcohol, but when there’s too much for too long, it starts to build up damage.
This is the earliest stage. Excess alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to break down fat, causing it to build up inside liver cells. It often has no symptoms and may be reversible if alcohol use is reduced early.
As damage progresses, the liver becomes inflamed. This stage can be mild or severe, and symptoms might include yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), pain in the upper right abdomen, fever, and nausea. In severe cases, it can be life-threatening.
The liver becomes scarred, hardened, and permanently damaged. At this stage, the liver begins to lose its ability to function properly. Cirrhosis can lead to internal bleeding, fluid buildup, and even liver failure.
Not everyone moves through each stage in the same way, and damage can go unnoticed for years. But the longer heavy alcohol use continues, the greater the risk of progressing to serious and irreversible stages.
This page is educational. It’s not a substitute for medical care. If you’re worried about your liver or have symptoms, talk to your provider. You deserve real answers and support.
When alcohol is consumed in high amounts or too often, your liver becomes overwhelmed. Over time, this strain can lead to inflammation, fat buildup, and progressive liver damage.
ALD risk increases if:
You drink heavily over time (even just on weekends)
You binge drink regularly (5+ drinks in one session)
You drink daily or near-daily
Your body has trouble breaking down alcohol due to genetics, liver stress, or other health conditions
Other risk factors can make ALD worse, like poor nutrition, emotional stress, or using alcohol to cope with anxiety or trauma.
Many people have early-stage ALD and don’t know it. You might feel totally normal even if your liver is under stress. But there are signs to watch for:
Ongoing fatigue
Mild pain or fullness on the right side of your belly
Yellowing of your eyes or skin (jaundice)
Easy bruising or bleeding
Swelling in your legs or belly
Bloodwork might show high liver enzymes. Imaging like ultrasound or FibroScan can reveal fat, inflammation, or scarring.
When alcohol reaches the liver, it’s broken down into substances that are toxic to liver cells. Over time, this creates:
Fat buildup in liver tissue
Inflammation (alcoholic hepatitis)
Cell death and scar formation (fibrosis and cirrhosis)
Poor nutrient absorption and immune stress
If scar tissue builds up, the liver becomes stiff and struggles to do its job — processing toxins, hormones, nutrients, and more.
Reducing how much or how often you drink can help your liver recover — especially if you catch it early.
Set limits on how much and how often you drink
Avoid binge drinking
Take “alcohol-free” breaks — even a few weeks off helps your liver repair
Eat balanced meals, stay hydrated, and support your body’s healing
Talk to a doctor if alcohol feels hard to cut back — that’s a real sign of dependency, not weakness
If you’ve been drinking heavily for years, or notice signs like fatigue, yellowing, swelling, or brain fog, it’s time to check in.
Even if you don’t feel sick, your liver could be under stress.
Getting bloodwork, an ultrasound, or a FibroScan could save your life.
And if you already know you have ALD:
You are not too late.
Stopping drinking can halt or reverse early damage.
You deserve help — no shame, no judgment.
Diagnosis usually involves:
Liver enzyme blood tests (AST, ALT, GGT)
Ultrasound or imaging
FibroScan to check for stiffness and scarring
Liver biopsy in advanced cases
Yes. If caught early and you stop drinking, the liver can heal. Fatty liver and some inflammation are reversible. Stopping alcohol can still save your life.
If your liver is damaged, quitting is strongly recommended. For some, moderation is not safe. A doctor or specialist can help you understand your specific risk.
Binge drinking, even just on weekends, can still cause serious liver harm. It’s about how much and how often.
Genetics, diet, underlying health, and other factors play a role. But if you’re drinking regularly, it’s a risk — and you won’t know how your liver is handling it without tests.
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)
Practice Guidance: Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease (2020)
https://www.aasld.org
World Health Organization (WHO)
Global status report on alcohol and health 2018
https://www.who.int
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Alcohol’s Effects on the Liver
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov
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