Effects of Christmas drinking on the liver
Britons may think a few weeks of excessive alcohol consumption in December will do little harm to their body, but the reality is that even a short period of intensive drinking can cause damage.According to Drinkaware, drinking more than eight units a day for men and five for women over a two or three-week period can be enough to cause 'fatty liver'.
Chris Day, professor of liver medicine at Newcastle University, told the alcohol charity: "Our liver turns glucose into fat which it sends round the body to store for use when we need it.
"Alcohol stops this happening, so your liver cells just get stuffed full of fat."
The problem resolves itself in people who are not usually heavy drinkers, but those who continue to drink large quantities of alcohol in the new year may develop hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver.
Dr Day revealed that one of the main problems is that people often damage their liver over a period of years without realising it, as there are often no symptoms until their condition becomes serious.
"But two or three heavy sessions a week for a year will increase the chance of liver damage," he warned.
A recent report in the Metro suggested that Britons will drink some 250 million pints of beer and 35 million bottles of wine at Christmas.
