Why does the liver get damaged because of consumption of alcohol?
Alcohol is one of the toxic substances filtered by the liver. The liver breaks it down to a form that can be eliminated by the body. Excessive alcohol intake causes the liver to become fatty and blocks the delivery of oxygen enriched blood to the liver. When there is too much alcohol for the liver to process, a chemical imbalance occurs. Balance can be restored when the drinking stops. Usually the liver is able to repair itself when mildly or moderately damaged. Excessive drinking is drinking that occurs daily over the course of several years. Although the amount and type of beverage vary, it is estimated that 5 to 6 alcoholic beverages per day is excessive. Also, the longer this frequency of drinking lasts, the more likely it is that a disease of the liver will result. The severity of the disease is also affected by how many years it occurred regularly. It is estimated that significant damage occurs after five or more years of such drinking.
