The Surprising Impact of How You Drink: Binge Drinking, Genetics, and the Risk of Liver Disease
New research sheds light on the unexpected connection between binge drinking, genetic predisposition, and the development of alcohol-related cirrhosis. The study underscores the importance of drinking patterns over volume and highlights the increased risk, especially for those with type 2 diabetes.
According to researchers, the combination of binge drinking and a genetic predisposition significantly increases the risk of developing alcohol-related cirrhosis.
• People with type 2 diabetes who engage in binge drinking face an even higher risk of developing this serious liver condition.
• The study’s insights may help identify individuals who require targeted interventions to prevent liver disease.
Alcohol-related cirrhosis, traditionally associated with chronic alcohol misuse, may also be triggered by episodes of binge drinking, as per recent research. Individuals who binge drink and possess a genetic predisposition for alcohol-related cirrhosis may face a six-fold higher risk of developing the disease compared to those who drink within daily limits and have a low genetic predisposition. This risk escalates further for binge drinkers with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, as highlighted in a study published in Nature Communications.
The research, conducted by teams from University College London, the Royal Free Hospital, the University of Oxford, and the University of Cambridge, suggests that when all three risk factors—binge drinking, genetic predisposition, and type 2 diabetes—are present, drinking patterns may play a more significant role in cirrhosis development than the overall volume of alcohol consumed.
Linda Ng Fat, a senior research fellow at University College London, emphasized the importance of focusing on drinking patterns rather than just the volume, stating that the way one drinks is a better indicator of liver disease risk. Pamela Healy, CEO of the British Liver Trust, added that the research underscores the significance of how, not just how much, one drinks, emphasizing the serious consequences for liver health associated with heavy, rapid, or binge drinking.
The study reveals that each risk factor independently raises the risk of liver disease. For instance, heavy binge drinking (defined as 12 units of alcohol in a day at some point during a week) triples the likelihood of alcohol-related cirrhosis. The risk is four times higher for those with a high genetic predisposition and two times higher for those with type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Theodore Strange, chair of the department of medicine at Staten Island University Hospital, suggested that the study’s distinction between the health risks of binge drinking and the sheer quantity of alcohol consumed merits further investigation. He theorized that the shock of processing a large amount of alcohol quickly during binge drinking may overwhelm the liver’s ability to metabolize alcohol, causing acute damage.
Adam Zagha, founder of Numa Recovery Centers, highlighted the immense strain binge drinking puts on the liver, hindering its ability to detoxify alcohol and leading to the accumulation of toxins, eventually resulting in liver cirrhosis.
Binge drinking, defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as reaching a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more, is a significant factor in liver disease, which ranks among the leading causes of premature death globally. Approximately 2% to 3% of the world’s population is estimated to have cirrhosis or liver disease.
Zagha emphasized the importance of individuals with a family history of liver disease or a genetic predisposition to alcoholism being aware of their increased risk. This awareness, he noted, empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption and seek help before irreversible liver damage occurs.
Dr. Steven Bell, a senior author of the study, highlighted the relevance of the research in identifying individuals at the highest risk, especially in the context of the surge in liver disease, particularly alcohol-related fatalities, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study provides essential tools for directing interventions more effectively toward those who stand to benefit the most.