What Are the Treatments for Alcohol-Induced Liver & Kidney Disease?

Alcohol is a potent toxin that can damage various parts of your body, including your kidneys and liver. A variety of problems can result from this damage, with some being permanent and worsening over time. Treatments include medications, self-care and certain procedures.

How Alcohol Damages the Liver and Kidneys

• The liver helps break down toxic substances. If you consume excessive amounts of alcohol, the liver cannot keep up. This negatively impacts normal liver functioning. For your kidneys, alcohol damages them in several ways; it interferes with their filtering abilities, affects the hormones that influence kidney functions and damages your kidneys' cells directly.

Treating Fatty Liver

• Fatty liver can result from heavy drinking. It can cause the liver to enlarge but typically produces no other symptoms. This condition improves if you stop drinking alcohol.

Treating Alcoholic Hepatitis

• This alcohol-induced inflammation of the liver can range from mild to severe. Treatments include abstaining from alcohol, nutritional therapy to repair damaged liver cells, losing weight if necessary, quitting smoking, medications to reduce inflammation, antioxidant treatment and, in severe cases, a liver transplant.

Treating Cirrhosis

• Cirrhosis is the most serious liver disorder; progressive scarring can lead to liver cancer and/or liver failure. Treatments include alcohol cessation to repair and slow damage, if possible, and various treatments and procedures to manage complications like fluid build-up and infection. You will need a liver transplant if your liver fails.

Treating Kidney Problems

• Treatments for alcohol-induced kidney disease vary depending on the severity of your condition. Several self-measures might be necessary, like reducing your protein and fluid intake. You might need medications to manage complications like anemia and weak bones. Severe kidney problems require dialysis (where a machine filters wastes for your kidney) or a transplant.