A leading anaesthesiologist has cautioned that regular alcohol consumption can trigger rapid liver deterioration, often beginning with subtle symptoms that go unnoticed until the damage becomes severe.
In an Instagram video posted on November 22, Dr Kunal Sood, an anaesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine specialist, shed light on how chronic drinking progressively harms the liver, ultimately leading to potentially life-threatening complications.
Dr Sood explained that when alcohol enters the body, the liver immediately begins breaking it down into acetaldehyde, a toxic compound capable of damaging liver cells.
He noted that frequent drinking overwhelms the liver’s capacity to process alcohol safely.
“When you drink, your liver metabolises alcohol into acetaldehyde, a toxic substance that can damage your liver cells. With chronic alcohol consumption, your liver cells become overwhelmed, leading to scarring and cell death,” he said.
This toxicity can swiftly set the stage for long-term liver dysfunction if drinking continues unchecked.
Early Indicators: Fatty Liver and Inflammation
According to Dr Sood, one of the earliest and most common signs of alcohol-related liver damage is fatty liver, caused by excessive fat deposits within liver tissue.
This condition may initially appear without symptoms but signals the onset of more serious complications if alcohol intake persists.
“The first sign of this damage is fatty liver, or fat building up in the liver. If drinking continues, inflammation will occur, leading to alcoholic hepatitis. Over time, scarring develops, resulting in liver cirrhosis, which severely impacts normal liver function,” he explained.
In later stages, Dr Sood warned that fluid may accumulate in the abdomen, a condition known as ascites, which can cause a visibly swollen or bulging belly. This symptom is often mistaken for weight gain but actually indicates advanced liver injury requiring immediate medical intervention.
“At this advanced stage, complications like ascites can occur. Cirrhosis reduces blood flow to the liver, increasing pressure in nearby blood vessels and causing fluid to leak into the abdominal cavity,” he added.
Health experts continue to advise that recognising early warning signs and reducing alcohol intake remain critical to preventing irreversible liver damage.
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