Does Alcohol Cause Liver Damage?

Posted on Wed, 28 Jun 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 Answered on

Sat, 15 Jul 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : I fear fatty liver...I had a normal liver enzyme test 2 1/2 months ago, but since have been consuming approx. 5-8 pints beer on weekends...at time of liver test I was consuming maybe around 4 pints per weekend...I feel a tenderness in my right side, which is more evident when I lean forward to my left...just under ribs, and goes to up under arm pit...otherwise, no yellow eyes, no dark urine or pale stools...no lack of energy...I am 45, healthy male, exercise daily, low fat diet...I do abdominal exercises daily, so its hard to tell if tenderness is from that or something else...Is it possible for fatty liver to develop so quickly over that time? What are the symptoms to look for, other than going for a blood test?

Answered by Dr. Sunil (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
No it takes years for fatty liver changes to develop.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for query.
Drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis almost always causes liver damage, Drinking 32 to 48 oz. of beer, 4 to 8 oz. of liquor, or 16 to 32 oz. of wine every day for 10 to 15 years or longer greatly increases your chances of developing severe fatty liver.Even if you drink 890 ml of whisky daily for just 2 months its not going to make your liver tender or cirrhotic.
As you are regularly doing abdomianl exercises regularly tenderness can be due to that also.
Only way to rule out the excat cause is to go for an ultrasound abdomen.
If liver is normal your pain is due to muscle sprain.
Going by your narration and your symptoms its muscular.
AnotheR easy way to rule out the cause of problem is take an anti inflammatory like ibuprofen for 2 days twice daily if pain responds to it then its musciular.Muscular pain responds to anti inflammatory.

Hope i was helpful.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad