Alcohol consumption behaviours and liver disease: Are there safer drinking practices?

With the global rise in alcohol consumption, the incidence of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is increasing notably. However, not all individuals who drink alcohol develop ALD, indicating that various mediating factors influence this. Although sex, age, and genetic predisposition have been thoroughly studied, the effect of drinking patterns as direct behavioural factors remains relatively underexplored
A narrative review synthesised existing evidence on how different drinking patterns, including the amount of alcohol consumption, drinking speed, frequency, duration, type of alcoholic beverage, and whether alcohol is consumed with meals, influence the onset and progression of ALD. Current research indicates that lower alcohol intake, slower drinking speed, reduced frequency, shorter duration of drinking, choosing fermented alcohol over distilled spirits, and consuming alcohol with meals can help reduce ALD risk. Nevertheless, abstaining from alcohol remains the most effective approach for preventing and managing ALD.
The findings provide actionable clinical insights and evidence-based recommendations to inform clinical practice and public health initiatives aimed at reducing ALD. Future research should focus on uncovering the underlying mechanisms of these patterns and evaluating their long-term effects to develop targeted interventions.
Source: Ding S, Lu S, Lv W, Hou F, Qi X, & Liu X. (2025) Alcohol consumption behaviors and liver disease: Is there a safer drinking practice? Medical Science Monitoring, 31:e948617.