How to Heal Liver from Alcoholism

Co-authored by Lyssandra Guerra

Last Updated: July 9, 2022 Fact Checked

Approximately one in three heavy drinkers develop liver damage. When the liver breaks down alcohol, the process produces substances that damage the liver.^{[1]
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Lyssandra Guerra
Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Expert Interview. 25 March 2020.} If this continues, eventually scarring develops in the liver, called cirrhosis. If cirrhosis has not yet started, the liver can still heal if you stop drinking alcohol and treat any malnutrition that you might have. Many people make great strides towards healing in just a few months.^{[2]
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Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Recognizing the Symptoms and Getting Help

1
Identify common early symptoms. If you are still in the early phases, you might not have symptoms. But as the disease progresses, your symptoms will get worse. Symptoms include:<refhttps://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alcohol-related-liver-disease-arld/</ref>^{[3]
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- Abdominal discomfort
- Not being hungry
- Nausea or diarrhea
- Tiredness
2
Look out for symptoms that suggest that liver damage is becoming more advanced. If you have these symptoms, it is crucial to stop drinking and get medical help to start reversing the damage:^{[4]
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- Jaundice or a yellow color in the skin and eyes
- Fluid pooling in your legs and abdomen
- Fever
- Itchiness
- Weight loss
- Hair loss
- Vomiting blood or passing bloody stool due to bleeding internally
- Personality changes, memory problems, and insomnia
- Numbness in your legs or feet
- Abdominal distention
- Melena (black, tarry stool)
- Vomiting blood
- Fatigue
3
Quit drinking. Your liver will not heal unless you stop drinking. Your doctor can help you make a plan that will fit your needs. Options include:^{[6]
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- Medications, such as baclofen
- Counseling
- Support groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous
- Outpatient treatment programs
- Residential treatment programs
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Treating Malnutrition and Promoting Liver Regeneration

1
See a dietician or a nutritionist. A professional can help you come up with a plan that will improve your health and take your medical history and allergies into account.
- If the malnutrition is especially severe, you may need to be tube-fed with a special liquid diet.
2
Eat a high-energy diet. The damage to your liver may mean that it isn’t able to store energy efficiently. If this has happened to your liver, you will need to eat extra to make up for what your body isn’t able to store.^{[7]
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- Eating five to six small meals with healthy snacks may be helpful.
- Increase your intake of simple carbohydrates by eating fruits and your consumption of complex carbohydrates by eating whole-grain breads, potatoes, corn, peas, parsnips, lentils, beans, and nuts.^{[8]
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- You can also supplement carbohydrates with a moderate amount of fat. This will provide you with extra energy.^{[9]
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- If you lost weight while drinking, this may be because your body started breaking down muscle tissue to get the nutrients it needed.
3
Consult your doctor or nutritionist to determine how much protein you need. What your doctor recommends may vary based on how severe the liver damage is.
- Some sources recommend an increased amount of protein to provide energy.^{[10]
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- Other sources say that because a damaged liver may be unable to process the proteins, this could lead to the accumulation of toxins. In this case, it may be necessary for you to reduce the amount of protein you eat.^{[11]
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4
Add vitamin and mineral supplements. B vitamins are particularly important, but make sure you also include vitamin K and phosphate and magnesium.^{[12]
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- B vitamins are necessary for your body to break down the food you eat and process it into energy. Thiamine, folate, and pyridoxine are types of B vitamins with which you can supplement.
- Fish, chicken, turkey, meat, eggs, dairy products, beans, peas, and leafy green vegetables have B vitamins.^{[13]
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- If you aren’t getting enough vitamins from your diet, your doctor or nutritionist can recommend supplements. Always consult with a medical professional before adding any supplements, even herbal remedies, to be sure that your liver will be able to process it.
5
Reduce your sodium consumption to 1,500 mg per day or less. This will help prevent fluids from building up in your legs, abdomen, and liver.^{[14]
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- Try not to add salt to your food.
- Avoid highly processed, pre-packaged foods because these often have a lot of sodium added to them.
6
Help your body flush out toxins by drinking plenty of water. The amount of water that you need will vary with your body size, activity levels, and the climate in which you live. At minimum, drink eight 8-oz glasses each day.
- If you urinate infrequently or pass cloudy or dark colored urine, then you are probably not drinking enough water.^{[15]
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7
Increase your appetite with moderate exercise. Exercise will help improve both your physical and mental well-being.
- Ask your doctor how much exercise is right for you.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Treating Liver Inflammation with Medication

1
Use only medications approved by your doctor. This includes herbal remedies, supplements, and over-the-counter medications. Your doctor will be able to advise you on whether your liver will be able to handle the demands of processing that medication.^{[16]
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- Many medications or herbal remedies can be dangerous for your liver. Some common ones include aspirin, jin bu huan, ma-huang, germander, valerian, mistletoe, and skullcap.
- Do not take street drugs. They may further damage your liver.
- Avoid toxic chemicals such as fungicides, insecticides, aerosol sprays, and other fumes. If you must be around them, wear a mask.
2
Ask your doctor about using corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. If your liver is badly damaged, these drugs may be beneficial.^{[18]
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- They are usually not prescribed for patients with kidney failure, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, or an infection.
- Doctors usually prescribe prednisolone for 28 days. While on steroids, your doctor will have to monitor your blood glucose.
- Approximately two out of five people are not helped by corticosteroids.
3
Consider pentoxifylline if corticosteroids don’t work for you.Be aware that the evidence in support of this medication is controversial.^{[19]
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- Your doctor will know what the latest scientific developments are either in support of or against this medication.
- Pentoxifylline inhibits the cytokines that lead to more liver damage. This drug may be beneficial for those with mild to moderate liver disease.
- Sometimes both corticosteroids and pentoxifylline are used together.
4
Try anabolic steroids or propylthiouracil if your liver damage isn’t too severe. These medications are controversial because there isn’t a lot of scientific evidence supporting their use.
- Anabolic steroids are strong steroids.
- Propylthiouracil was originally created as a thyroid medication.
5
Discuss a liver transplant with your doctor. If your liver is failing this may be necessary. In order to receive a liver, you will need to:^{[20]
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- Have stopped drinking
- Be in good enough health to survive the operation
- Agree to abstain from alcohol for the rest of your life
- Other treatments have failed
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How does alcohol cause damage to the liver?

Lyssandra Guerra
Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant
Lyssandra Guerra is a Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant and the Founder of Native Palms Nutrition based in Oakland, California. She has over five years of nutrition coaching experience and specializes in providing support to overcome digestive issues, food sensitivities, sugar cravings, and other related dilemmas. She received her holistic nutrition certification from the Bauman College: Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts in 2014.

Lyssandra Guerra

Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Expert Answer

When you drink alcohol, your body needs to break it down. This produces a substance that harms your liver. If you drink often, liver damage can accumulate.

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My liver is damaged, what foods might help?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

You should take thiamine and folate. You should intake protein if your liver can handle it and try to prevent muscle wasting.

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Question

If my labs show increasing liver improvement does this mean that my liver is healing despite an ultrasound showing I have surface modularity consistent with cirrhotic changes?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

If your AST and ALT are decreasing and you no longer have any disease sequelae of liver disease. Your liver nodularity may never completely heal.

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Warnings

Consult with your doctor or nutritionist before making dietary changes, taking any over-the-counter medications, or herbal supplements or remedies. If your liver is in a damaged state, you need to be sure that your liver will be able to handle it.

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