Causes & Risk Factors
Causes
Alcoholic hepatitis develops when the alcohol that you drink damages your liver. Just how alcohol damages the liver — and why it does so only in some heavy drinkers — isn’t clear.
It is known that:
- The body’s process for breaking down alcohol produces highly toxic chemicals
- These chemicals trigger inflammation that destroys liver cells
- Over time, scars replace healthy liver tissue, interfering with liver function
- This irreversible scarring (cirrhosis) is the final stage of alcoholic liver disease
Other factors that can contribute to alcoholic hepatitis include:
- Other types of hepatitis
If you have hepatitis C and also drink — even moderately — you’re more likely to develop cirrhosis than if you don’t drink. - Malnutrition
Many people who drink heavily are malnourished, because they eat poorly or because alcohol and its byproducts prevent the body from properly absorbing nutrients. Lack of nutrients contributes to liver cell damage.
Risk factors
The major risk factor for alcoholic hepatitis is the amount of alcohol you consume. The amount of alcohol intake that puts a person at risk of alcoholic hepatitis isn’t known. But most people with the condition have a history of drinking more than 3.4 ounces (100 grams) — equivalent to seven glasses of wine, seven beers or seven shots of spirits — daily for at least 20 years.
Other risk factors include:
- Your sex
Women seem to have a higher risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis possibly because of differences in the way alcohol is processed in women. - Obesity
Heavy drinkers who are overweight might be likelier to develop alcoholic hepatitis and to progress from that condition to cirrhosis. - Genetic factors
Studies suggest there may be a genetic component in alcohol-induced liver disease although it’s difficult to separate genetic and environmental factors. - Race and ethnicity
Although it’s difficult o separate genetic and environmental factors, African-Americans and Hispanics might be at higher risk of alcoholic hepatitis. - Binge drinking
Consuming five or more drinks at one time might increase your risk of alcoholic hepatitis.