Modest alcohol consumption ‘halves risk and severity of hepatitis’

Modest alcohol consumption ‘halves risk and severity of hepatitis’Washington, Apr 20  : People with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD) who consume alcohol in modest amounts, no more than one or two servings per day, are half as likely to develop hepatitis as non-drinkers with the same condition, a new study has claimed.




The national team of scientists led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine wanted to know if the well-documented heart-healthy benefits of modest alcohol consumption outweighed alcohol's negative effects.

"We know a 50-year-old patient with NAFLD has a higher risk of CVD," Jeffrey Schwimmer, senior author of the study, said.



Patients with NASH are 10 times more likely to progress to cirrhosis, the final phase of chronic liver disease. Cirrhosis is the 12th leading cause of death in the U. S., killing an estimated 27,000 Americans annually.

"Our study showed that those people with modest alcohol intake - two drinks or less daily - had half the odds of developing NASH than people who drank no alcohol.

"The reasons aren't entirely clear. It's known that alcohol can have beneficial effects on lipid levels, that it increases `good' cholesterol, which tends to be low in NAFLD patients. Alcohol may improve insulin sensitivity, which has a role in NAFLD. And depending upon the type of alcohol, it may have anti-inflammatory effects," he said.

The study has been published online in The Journal of Hepatology. (ANI)