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Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Serious liver disease is up among heavy drinkers, even without more drinking
Serious liver disease is becoming more common among Americans who drink heavily, according to a new study from Keck Medicine of USC. It's not that more people are partying with alcohol. And it's not that the drinkers are having more drinks. It's that more of the people who drink regularly are becoming sick. Over the last two decades, the share of heavy drinkers who have advanced liver scarring jumped from 1.8% to 4.3%. For women, more than 1.5 drinks per night, on average, is considered heavy drinking. For men, it's 2 drinks. 'The fact that the risk not only increased but that it more than doubled — almost tripled — is really astonishing,' said Dr. Brian P. Lee, a liver transplant specialist at Keck Medicine of USC and lead author on the study. It was published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology on Wednesday. Lee said he thinks patients might dramatically change their thinking and behavior if they had this information. The increase in illness was seen especially in women, older people and those with conditions like obesity or diabetes. Three USC researchers analyzed national health data from more than 44,000 adults surveyed between 1999 and 2020 in a well-known national heath study known as NHANES. Of those, 2,474 were heavy drinkers according to the definition of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — 20 grams of alcohol per day for women and 30 grams for men, roughly the equivalent of 1.5 and 2 drinks. They found a more than twofold increase over the two decades in significant liver fibrosis, a condition where healthy liver tissue is replaced by stiff, fibrous tissue — like a sponge hardening into leather. If left unchecked, this can eventually lead to liver failure or cancer. By comparison, non-heavy drinkers saw a much smaller increase, from 0.8% to 1.4% over the same period. This rise in liver damage is especially troubling because many people don't realize anything is wrong until the disease is advanced. 'Liver disease is silent,' Lee said. 'Most people won't, even if they have [advanced liver scarring], have any symptoms at all.' Drinking patterns did not change much over the study period. But the health profiles of heavy drinkers did. Rates of metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure — increased from 26% of people, to nearly 38%. Demographics shifted too: heavy drinkers became more likely to be women, people over the age of 45, and those living in poverty. 'We're showing with this study that the picture of the American drinker is changing dramatically,' Lee said. 'You have more women who are drinking heavily, more ethnic minorities who are drinking heavily, and these are groups that are known to have a higher sensitivity to alcohol in causing liver damage.' Other factors may also be at play, said Dr. Sammy Saab, medical director of the Pfleger Liver Institute at UCLA, who was not involved in the study. People could be consuming different types of drinks, or at different times. 'Have we moved away from beer, wine, to hard cocktails? Have we moved away from drinking with food, where the food absorbs some of the alcohol you consume, versus drinking without food where alcohol is better absorbed?' Saab asked. Then there are cultural changes, he said. 'In the old days, if you drank, you'd still have to drive home, but now we've got Uber, we have Lyft,' he said, which may remove some deterrents to heavy drinking. The current definition of heavy drinking in the U.S. may actually be too lenient, Lee said, especially compared to evolving global standards. Canada, for example, now advises no more than two drinks per week to minimize health risks. 'In the U.S. right now, we consider heavy drinking to be eight drinks or more per week for women and 15 or more for men — but that's quite high,' he said. 'We've shown in prior studies that you can develop liver disease at lower quantities than the U.S. threshold.' The study's findings highlight the need to rethink long-held assumptions about alcohol-related liver disease, and Lee hopes it can be used to develop more effective screening methods for early detection. The paper raises a lot of good questions, Saab said, serving as a call to action for researchers and clinicians to better understand this increase in alcohol-associated liver disease — and how to stop it.
UPI
20-07-2025
- Health
- UPI
Think before you sip: summer drinking dangers
Lift a toast to summer fun but don't let risky drinking ruin the party. Too much alcohol can be deadly in the summer heat, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism warns. And 1 in 6 Americans is a binge drinker. "Think before you drink," the institute urges. "Avoiding beverages containing alcohol while piloting a boat, driving a car, exploring the wilderness, and swimming or surfing can also help keep you and your loved ones safe." The risks are sobering: 31% of U.S. drowning deaths involve blood alcohol levels of 0.10% or higher. A boater with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% -- legally drunk in all 50 states -- is 14 times more likely to be killed in a boating accident than someone who is sober. A third of traffic fatalities on U.S. highways are linked to drunken driving. Vacations bring added risks such as unfamiliar routes or towing a boat or camper, not to mention excited kids and pets in the car. "Drinking more can lead to higher blood alcohol concentrations ... especially if the amount of alcohol in is greater than what someone is accustomed to at home," the institute warns. Here's some more summer-specific advice: Goin' swimming? Keep in mind that more drownings occur in July than any other month of the year, the institute warns. Swimmers whose judgment is impaired by alcohol are more likely to take dangerous risks. Beware of going into deep water or staying in so long you get chilled and develop hypothermia. Even around a pool, horsing around can be dangerous. Tipsy divers may hit the board or dive where the water is too shallow. In a boat: An average-size woman (171 pounds) who has four drinks can reach a 0.08% BAC in two hours; an average guy (198 pounds) will reach that level at five - or even sooner, based on health status, medications and the like. Your odds of a fatal crash begin to rise with the first drink you slurp down. "Alcohol can impair a boater's judgment, balance, vision, and reaction time," according to the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. "It can also increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion." The risk doesn't stop with the driver. Drunken passengers can slip on deck, fall overboard or have accidents at the dock. Dehydration risk: Heat plus alcohol can spell trouble. Hot summer days cause fluid loss through perspiration and the need to urinate more often. "Together, they can quickly lead to dehydration or heat strokes." Think before you drink: Don't imbibe on an empty stomach. Food can slow alcohol absorption and reduce its peak level in the body by about one-third, the institute notes. Offer alcohol-free alternatives like water, sparkling sodas or juice to counteract dehydration and slow the rate of alcohol absorption into the body and help prevent a hangover. Plan ahead: Have a designated driver or be prepared to call a taxi or ride-hailing service so no one who has had any alcohol gets behind the wheel. If you're a parent, understand underage drinking laws and set a good example. More information Find out what's in your summer drink. Rethinking Drinking has calculators to estimate calories, blood alcohol content and more. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Newsweek
19-07-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Millennial Woman Seemed To Be Thriving—but She Was Hiding Dangerous Secret
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. At first glance, Amanda, a 38-year-old woman from California, looked like she had it all together and was thriving in life, but, beneath that surface, she was silently struggling with alcoholism for years, until she realized it had taken all of her. In her thirties, Amanda found herself turning to alcohol as a way to cope with stress and depression. At first, she used it as a tool to soothe her pain while keeping up appearances, but then it slowly became something that she couldn't live without. "I knew I had a problem when I needed to drink as soon as I woke up in the morning," Amanda told Newsweek. Eventually, she realized she couldn't go more than an hour without drinking, and that every time she tried to stop, she would only feel sicker, weaker, and even more angry and depressed. It began interfering with all her relationships, including a very important one, the one with her son. Screenshots of the viral video show Amanda describing how to spot a "closeted alcoholic". Screenshots of the viral video show Amanda describing how to spot a "closeted alcoholic". @blackheartsober Now that she is over it, Amanda is sharing her experience with alcoholism and her journey out of it on her TikTok profile, where she spreads awareness about the catastrophic consequences that alcohol can have on one's life. In a viral clip shared in June, under the username @blackheartsober, she reveals how to spot what she calls a "closeted alcoholic," or a high-functioning alcoholic. This is somebody you may not know is struggling with this issue because they don't otherwise show signs of it. "I would like to add that it is not my place or anyone else's to call anyone an alcoholic," Amanda said. "The intention of my video was to expand on my own behaviors in my active alcoholism while lending perspective to those who have loved ones exhibiting similar behaviors. "Not so they can judge them or tell them to stop, but so they can see them as human beings who are in a very daunting battle within their own souls. The disease of alcoholism has one goal, and it is to destroy you and everyone in your life," she added. Amanda says in the viral video, which has been viewed over 579,000 times and has so far received more than 7,400 likes, that there are three main signs to look out for in a closeted alcoholic that will immediately give it away. One is that they will lie, and their stories will either make no sense, or too much sense, with too many details to them. Sign number two: they are going to disappear for a while and won't say why. And, lastly, they are always preoccupied with something else. "The lights are on, but nobody's home," Amanda said. A 2023 survey by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that over 224.3 million Americans over the age of 12 reported drinking alcohol at some point in their lifetime. The number was higher for females than it was for males, especially during their teenage years, from 12 to 17, which is also illegal. Over 134.7 million people reported binge-drinking the month prior to the survey, and about 1 million of them were again underage. The turning point for Amanda came after a serious car accident in which she discovered she was pregnant with her daughter. She had to stop drinking on the spot. Not only that, because she had fractured her pelvis, she had to heal without being able to drink or take any medication. "It was the hardest thing I've ever done," Amanda said of her sober journey, which started in September 2023, about three years into her alcoholism disorder. "You might think that getting sober and getting through life without alcohol is impossible, but it's not. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Recovery and sobriety are possible for all of us," she added. Do you have any videos or pictures you want to share? Send them to life@ with some extra details and they could appear on our website.
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Michael Madsen's death draws attention to heart disease risks: Can alcoholism cause heart failure?
Hollywood actor Michael Madsen, known for his villain roles in Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs, passed away on July 3, 2025, at the age of 67. He was found unresponsive at his home in Malibu, California, and was declared dead by emergency responders. His cardiologist has reportedly confirmed heart failure as the cause of death, with heart disease and a history of alcoholism named as contributing factors. Although Madsen had been sober in the months before his death and was trying to stay clean, his sudden passing has sparked conversations about the long-term impact of alcohol on heart health. Can alcohol abuse really lead to heart attacks, heart failure, or even cardiac arrest? Let us understand this and why the risks are often overlooked. Michael Madsen passed away at the age of 67 from heart failure. (Instagram) How does alcohol affect heart health? According to the World Heart Federation, alcohol is a psychoactive and harmful substance that can seriously affect the body, and that includes your heart. In 2019 alone, over 2.4 million people worldwide died due to alcohol-related causes. That is 4.3 percent of all global deaths, with men aged 15 to 49 being the most affected. While the dangers of alcohol on the liver are well known, its effects on the heart often go unnoticed. 'Drinking occasionally may not cause major harm, but heavy or regular drinking can lead to serious heart issues,' explains Dr Ruchit Shah, interventional cardiologist, Saifee Hospital. Here's how alcohol can impact your heart health: 1. Increased heart rate and irregular heartbeat According to a study published in the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol misuse can cause a faster heart rate or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), both of which raise the risk of heart problems. 2. Increase blood pressure The British Heart Foundation confirms that regularly drinking too much alcohol is strongly linked to high blood pressure (hypertension), which strains your heart and arteries over time. 3. Alcohol cardiomyopathy 'Long-term heavy drinking can weaken the heart muscle, making it harder to pump blood. This condition is called alcohol-related cardiomyopathy and can lead to heart failure,' states Dr Shah. 4. Weight gain Alcohol is high in calories, and it can make it harder to manage your weight. Excess intake of calories can lead to weight gain and obesity, which increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Michael Madsen's death is a reminder that moderation or quitting alcohol is key to protecting your heart health! Can alcohol lead to heart failure? Yes, alcohol can harm your heart, especially when consumed in large amounts or over a long period. 'Excessive drinking raises your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure. It can also lead to cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart muscle becomes weak and struggles to pump blood,' according to Dr Shah. The World Heart Federation notes that even small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of heart disease, including heart attacks, arrhythmia, and aneurysms. Chronic drinking may also cause anemia, low immunity, leukopenia (low white blood cell levels), thrombocytopenia (low platelet levels), and macrocytosis (enlarged red blood cells). How much alcohol is too much? While occasional drinking may seem harmless, studies show that no amount of alcohol is completely safe for heart health. Therefore, quitting alcohol completely is the best choice for your heart. But if you choose to drink, it is important to stick to moderate limits. Moderate drinking means up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men, as per the British Heart Foundation.
Boston Globe
08-07-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
How the risks of drinking increase in older age
Advertisement Alcohol can present new problems in older age — particularly at 65 and older — for even light or occasional drinkers. Older adults tend to have less muscle mass and retain less water in their tissues compared with younger people, which can increase blood alcohol concentration, said Aaron White, a senior adviser at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. This means it takes fewer drinks for older people to feel intoxicated, and heightens the risk of severe injury from falls. According to Nixon's research, older people also show deficits in working memory at lower blood alcohol concentrations than younger drinkers. In another study Nixon worked on, some older adults in driving simulations showed signs of impairment after less than one drink. Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of developing chronic conditions such as dementia, diabetes, cancer, hypertension and heart disease. But it can also worsen outcomes for the majority of older adults already living with chronic disease, said Aryn Phillips, an assistant professor of health policy and administration at the University of Illinois Chicago who studies alcohol and aging. Advertisement Drug interactions also come into play. Mixing alcohol with prescription medicines that older adults commonly take, such as those for treating diabetes or hypertension, can make the medications less effective or cause harmful side effects, like ulcers or an irregular heart beat. Benzodiazepines, when combined with alcohol, can slow breathing and act as a powerful sedative. Even over-the-counter medication can be dangerous. Aspirin, which some older people take to reduce cardiovascular disease risk (despite the potential side effects), can lead to severe gastrointestinal bleeding, which older people are already at higher risk for, said Michael Wheeler, a professor of nutrition science at East Carolina University who researches alcohol-induced liver disease. Some older adults also contend that hangovers worsen with age. While there's no strong scientific evidence supporting this, the hangovers may seem worse because alcohol can exacerbate other symptoms of aging, like poor sleep, White said. How to Reduce Your Risk Experts said alcohol use among older adults appears to have risen in recent years, though national trends are difficult to track outside of self-reported surveys. A federal survey from 2023 found that 12% of adults 65 and older — about 7 million people — reported drinking at least four or five drinks in a sitting in the previous month. After decades of mixed messaging around alcohol's health harms and benefits, recent studies have made it clear that no amount of alcohol is good for you. Still, Sacco acknowledged that 'drinking has meaning for people,' and whether to moderate or quit altogether 'is a call that you have to make in consultation with your doctor and your loved ones.' Advertisement But what is a 'safe' amount of drinking for the older set? That's difficult to say. The available studies attempting to establish exactly how much alcohol it takes to drive up health risks in older populations use different benchmarks for moderate drinking, making it tricky to draw a consensus. 'Even as an expert in this field, I understand the confusion,' Wheeler said. Nixon advised that adults 65 and older should consume no more than one drink per day and no more than seven per week. (The NIAAA does not establish guidelines around alcohol consumption, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines moderate drinking for adults of all ages as two drinks or less per day for men, and one drink or less per day for women.) All the experts emphasized that older people should pay close attention to their bodies' response to alcohol, and to stop drinking or cut back if they feel like it's affecting them more physically or cognitively. 'If you're not currently drinking, don't start,' Phillips said. And if you do drink, be honest with your doctor about your consumption, and do it in a safe environment, knowing that your tolerance may not be what it used to be, she added. 'The answer doesn't have to be abstinence,' Nixon said. But healthy aging 'probably does not include multiple drinks a day for most people.' This article originally appeared in Advertisement
