The liver can repair itself from damage from alcohol, unless you drink so much for so long that you get cirriosis of the liver, in one to two months.
Along with the central nervous system, the liver suffers the most from alcohol consumption. Your liver can only handle a certain amount of alcohol in any given time (one unit an hour). If you are drinking quickly, your liver cells will have to work overtime to process the alcohol. When this is more than the liver can deal with, the excess is transported to the rest of your organs.
Your liver needs water to do its job. As alcohol acts as a diuretic (makes you pass urine), it dehydrates you and forces the liver to divert water from elsewhere. When the liver is processing alcohol it produces a substance called acetaldehyde. This has a toxic effect on the liver itself, as well as the brain and stomach lining. This is what causes your hangover.
Acetaldehyde is subsequently broken down into a chemical called acetate, which is broken down further into carbon dioxide and water outside the liver.
Regular and heavy drinking over time can strain or disrupt this process, leading to alcoholic liver disease. The first stage of disease may not seem all that significant but must be acted upon. The later stages are very serious and can threaten your life.
Along with the central nervous system, the liver suffers the most from alcohol consumption. Your liver can only handle a certain amount of alcohol in any given time (one unit an hour). If you are drinking quickly, your liver cells will have to work overtime to process the alcohol. When this is more than the liver can deal with, the excess is transported to the rest of your organs.
Your liver needs water to do its job. As alcohol acts as a diuretic (makes you pass urine), it dehydrates you and forces the liver to divert water from elsewhere. When the liver is processing alcohol it produces a substance called acetaldehyde. This has a toxic effect on the liver itself, as well as the brain and stomach lining. This is what causes your hangover.
Acetaldehyde is subsequently broken down into a chemical called acetate, which is broken down further into carbon dioxide and water outside the liver.
Regular and heavy drinking over time can strain or disrupt this process, leading to alcoholic liver disease. The first stage of disease may not seem all that significant but must be acted upon. The later stages are very serious and can threaten your life.
