Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Recognizing the symptoms and getting help
• Part 2 of 3: Treating malnutrition and stimulating liver regeneration
• Part 3 of 3: Treating liver inflammation with medication
• Warnings

About one in three heavy drinkers suffers liver damage. When the liver breaks down alcohol, substances are produced during the process that damage the liver. If you keep drinking, scar tissue will eventually form in the liver, also known as cirrhosis. If there is no cirrhosis yet, your liver can still recover if you stop drinking and treat any malnutrition problems. Many people make great progress in recovering the liver in just a few months.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Recognizing the symptoms and getting help

1. Recognize common early symptoms. If you are still in the early stages, you may not have any symptoms. However, your symptoms will get worse as the disease progresses. The symptoms include:
   • Stomach ache
   • Don't be hungry
   • Nausea and diarrhea
   • Fatigue
2. Watch for symptoms that indicate that liver damage is advanced. If you have these symptoms, it is important to stop drinking and seek medical attention so that the damage can be repaired:
   • Jaundice, or yellow skin and eyes
   • Fluid retention in the legs and abdomen
   • Fever
   • Itching
   • Weight loss
   • Hair loss
   • Vomiting blood or having blood in the stool due to internal bleeding
   • Personality changes, memory problems and insomnia
   • Numbness in the legs and feet
   • Swollen stomach
   • Melena (black, tarry stools)
   • Vomiting blood
   • Fatigue
3. Stop drinking. Your liver will not recover unless you stop drinking. Your doctor can help you develop a treatment plan that suits your needs. You have the following options:
   • Medication such as baclofen
   • Talk to a therapist
   • Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous
   • Day treatment at an addiction clinic
   • Admission to an addiction clinic

Part 2 of 3: Treating malnutrition and stimulating liver regeneration

1. See a dietitian or nutritionist. A professional can help you create a health improvement plan that takes your health history and allergies into account.
   • If there is severe malnutrition, you may need special tube feeding.
2. Provide a diet that gives you a lot of energy. Your liver may be so damaged that it cannot properly store energy. If this is the case with your liver, you will need to eat extra to supplement what your body cannot store on its own.
   • It may be helpful to eat five or six small meals of healthy snacks.
   • Get more simple carbs by eating fruit and more complex carbs by eating whole wheat bread, potatoes, corn, peas, parsnips, lentils, beans, and nuts.
   • You can also eat a moderate amount of fat in addition to carbohydrates. This gives you extra energy.
   • If you lost weight while drinking, it could be because your body began to break down muscle tissue to get the necessary nutrients.
3. Ask your doctor or nutritionist how much protein you need. What your doctor recommends depends on how severe the damage to your liver is.
   • Some sources recommend eating more protein for energy.
   • Other sources say toxins can build up because a damaged liver may not be able to process the proteins. In this case, you may need to eat less protein.
4. Take vitamin and mineral supplements. B vitamins are especially important, but make sure you also get vitamin K, phosphate and magnesium.
   • Your body needs B vitamins to break down the food you eat and get energy from it. Thiamine (vitamin B1), folic acid (vitamin B11) and pyridoxine (vitamin B6) are B vitamins that you can take in the form of a supplement.
   • Fish, chicken, turkey, meat, eggs, dairy, beans, peas, and green leafy vegetables all contain B vitamins.
   • If you do not get enough vitamins due to your diet, your doctor or nutritionist can recommend supplements. Always seek the advice of your doctor before taking any supplements, even if they are herbal remedies. This way you can be sure that your liver can process the substances.
5. Get 1500 mg or less of sodium. As a result, less fluid will accumulate in the legs, abdomen and liver.
   • Try not to sprinkle salt on your food.
   • Don't eat highly processed, prepackaged foods, as they often have a lot of sodium added to them.
6. Help your body flush out toxins by drinking plenty of water. How much water you should drink depends on your weight, how active you are and the weather conditions. Drink at least 8 glasses of water with a capacity of 250 ml every day.
   • If you don't urinate often and your urine is cloudy or dark in color, then you are most likely not drinking enough water.
7. Promote your appetite through moderate intensity exercise. Exercise helps to feel better both physically and psychologically.
   • Ask your doctor how much exercise is best for you.

Part 3 of 3: Treating liver inflammation with medication

1. Only use medications recommended by your doctor. This also applies to herbal remedies, dietary supplements and over-the-counter products. Your doctor will be able to advise you and tell you if your liver can handle a particular drug.
   • Many medicines and herbal remedies can be dangerous for your liver. Some well-known agents are aspirin, jin bu huan, ma-huang, true gamander, valerian, mistletoe and skullcap.
   • Don't use drugs, as they can further damage your liver.
   • Do not use toxic chemicals such as fungicides, insecticides, aerosol products, and other products that produce strong fumes. Wear a mask if you have to use them anyway.
2. Ask your doctor about corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. If your liver is severely damaged, you may benefit from these drugs.
   • These medications are not usually prescribed for patients with kidney failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, and infections.
   • Doctors usually prescribe a 28-day course of prednisolone. If you are on corticosteroids, your doctor will need to measure the amount of glucose in your blood.
   • About two in five people do not benefit from corticosteroids.
3. If corticosteroids aren't working for you, consider pentoxifylline. Know that there is no conclusive evidence that this drug works.
   • Your doctor knows what the latest scientific developments are regarding this drug and what arguments there are for and against this drug.
   • Pentoxifylline slows down the cytokines that cause more liver damage. This drug can help if you have mild to moderate liver damage.
   • Sometimes corticosteroids and pentoxifylline are used together.
4. If your liver isn't too badly damaged, try anabolic steroids or propylthiouracil. These are controversial drugs because there is not much scientific evidence for how they work.
   • Anabolic steroids are strong steroids.
   • Propylthiouracil was originally made as a thyroid drug.
5. Discuss a liver transplant with your doctor. This may be necessary if your liver is no longer working properly. To get a new liver, you will have to meet the following conditions:
   • Have stopped drinking
   • Be healthy enough to survive surgery
   • Don't drink alcohol for the rest of your life
   • Other treatments have not worked

Warnings

• Seek advice from your doctor or nutritionist before changing your diet, taking over-the-counter medications, or using herbal remedies. If your liver is damaged, you need to be sure that your liver can process the substances you want to use.