Fatty liver disease, metabolism and alcohol interplay: A comprehensive review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, and its incidence has been increasing in recent years because of the high prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in the Western population. Whether alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD) impacts the prognosis and progression of liver damage in patients with NAFLD is still a matter of debate. The synergistic deleterious effect of obesity and diabetes is clearly established in patients with ArLD and heavy alcohol consumption. However, it is still unknown whether low to moderate amounts of alcohol are good or bad for liver health.
A meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences reveiwed the pathophysiology of both disorders and measured the impact of alcohol consumption in patients with NAFLD.
Although some studies reveal a potential beneficial effect of light to moderate alcohol consumption in patients with NAFLD in terms of hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance improvement, most of those studies have potential bias, and their results should be considered with caution.
Source: Odriozola A; Santos Laso A; Del Barrio M; Cabezas J; Iruzubieta P; Arias Loste MT; Rivas C; et al, ‘Fatty liver disease, metabolism and alcohol interplay: a comprehensive review’, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 24, No 9, 2023, Art No 7791, 24pp [R186877]