Understanding Liver Disease In Women

How much do you know about your liver? It's a question you probably haven't asked yourself, maybe ever.

“Women are more prone to certain types of liver disease, such as autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and toxin mediated liver injury, which includes alcohol-induced liver injury.” explains Seth Levin, DO, a gastroenterologist with the OhioHealth Physician Group. “They are also more likely to present with acute liver failure and to develop benign liver lesions.”

For millions of Americans, liver disease can show up unannounced, and cause major problems.

"With regard to signs and symptoms related to alcoholic liver disease, unfortunately, most will have none until advanced liver disease or cirrhosis has developed. Once this happens they may develop things such as jaundice, abdominal distension, confusion, or signs of GI bleeding, Dr. Levin told Healthyway.com.

While men are considered more likely to abuse alcohol than women, women are more susceptible to its toxic effects on the liver, Levin says, regardless of the amount ingested.

That raises the question of how many drinks could be considered safe.  Doctors say keeping track of consumption could be a big deal for someone's liver and health.

"With regard to “safe” levels of alcohol consumption, nonpregnant women should technically be limited to 1 drink per day. They are considered low risk still as long as less than 2 drinks per day are consumed. Once women consume more than 7 drinks per week or 3 drinks per occasion they are considered high risk for alcohol problems," Dr. Levin said.

To learn more about liver disease from the CDC, click here.

To read the article from Healthyway.com, click here.