Hepatitis C and Alcohol Consumption

Hello..I have a friend who has recently been diagnosed with Hep C...can Hep C be "caused" by excessive alcohol conssumption or will the alcohol consumtion make it worse?

[mikesimon]

Alcohol does not cause hepatitis c. It does, however, accelerate the damage that the virus can cause so it is extremely important for one with the disease to abstain from alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption is very dangerous behavior and complete abstinence is the wisest choice. Mike

[wyntre9]

I've read there is something called alcohol-induced hepatitis.  I'm not sure if that's different from hep-c but you can google for more info.

In any case, once DX'd with hep-c it's best to stay away from alcohol until the virus is
destroyed.

Apparently, alcohol increases the spread of the virus.

wyntre

[wyntre9]

Here's a link that explains it.

http://www.umm.edu/liver/alcohol.htm

wyn

[jmjm530]

Here is how the Cleveland Clinic answers this question.

Q: I have hepatitis C. Is there harm in drinking alcohol once in a while?

There is little doubt that excessive alcohol use (>5 drinks per day) will hasten HCV liver disease, but there is little consensus on the "safer" amounts of alcohol consumption in patients with hepatitis C. If a patient has mild disease on a liver biopsy, occasional alcohol use may be fine. However, those with advanced liver disease should be advised against alcohol consumption.

https://clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/HEPc/faq/faqvol12.htm

[jmjm530]

This is probably the study that the above advice was based on. It cannot be emphasized enough that heavy alcohol intake and hepatitis c is very dangerous and as Mike suggests, abstinence may be the wisest decision. That said, a single glass of wine per day, for example, has been shown have certain cardiovascular benefits that might enter into the equation. Best to discuss the entire issue with a qualified liver specialist.


Risks of a range of alcohol intake on hepatitis C-related fibrosis.
Monto A, Patel K, Bostrom A, Pianko S, Pockros P, McHutchison JG, Wright TL.

Department of Gastroenterology, University of California at San Francisco, 4150 Clement Street #111B, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA. Alexander.***@****

Heavy alcohol use contributes to liver disease in the setting of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Whether this is true for light or moderate alcohol use has not been demonstrated. Light alcohol use has survival benefits at a population level and is practiced by most patients with chronic HCV infection. In this study, 800 patients with HCV undergoing liver biopsy at three sites had detailed alcohol histories recorded and the relationship between alcohol and hepatic fibrosis was assessed. On univariate analysis, heavy alcohol use (>50 g/day) was associated with an increase in mean fibrosis (P =.01). Such an association could not be demonstrated for light and moderate alcohol use. For each category of alcohol intake (none, light, moderate, and heavy), a spectrum of fibrosis was observed. On multivariate analysis, age, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and histological inflammation were the independent predictors of fibrosis (P = <.0001,.0003, <.0001, respectively). In conclusion, heavy alcohol use exerts a greater effect on fibrosis than light or moderate use. There is a range of fibrosis at each level of alcohol use. Age, serum ALT, and inflammation are independently associated with fibrosis in multivariate analysis, highlighting the fact that variables other than alcohol intake predominate in the production of hepatic fibrosis.

PMID: 14999703 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://tinyurl.com/l7c8h

[drofi]

this lady told me that beer without alcohol is much cooler:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yGJVnOwxz0