All articles tagged with #liver disease
A new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine confirms that US alcohol consumption has declined for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven primarily by younger generations. While Gen Z and Millennials show significant drops in both any and heavy drinking, adults aged 50-64 continue to increase their consumption, raising serious health concerns.
A new study shows US alcohol consumption fell for the first time since 2018, driven by younger adults, while heavy drinking among those aged 50-64 rose sharply. This demographic shift raises health concerns for older Americans and forces bars to adapt to a shrinking youth market.
A new study reveals a generational divide in US drinking habits: while Gen Z and Millennials have significantly reduced alcohol consumption since 2022, adults aged 50-64 are drinking more than ever, raising serious health concerns.
A new study reveals that US alcohol consumption has declined for the first time since the pandemic, driven primarily by Gen Z and Millennials. However, heavy drinking among adults aged 50-64 has increased significantly, raising concerns about long-term health risks.
This Nature review outlines how MASLD progresses to MASH through insulin resistance, lipid dysregulation and lipotoxicity, genetic risk variants (e.g., PNPLA3, TM6SF2, HSD17B13), adipose–immune dysfunction, fibrogenesis and gut–liver axis disturbances; it highlights progression to fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and notes advances in polygenic risk scores and targeted therapies addressing lipogenesis, mitochondrial metabolism and bile acid signaling, underscoring MASLD/MASH as a multi‑organ disease with translational therapeutic potential.
This Nature review maps the current and future treatment landscape for metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatohepatitis (MASH), noting that recent approvals (resmetirom and semaglutide) mark an inflection point for non‑cirrhotic disease and fibrosis. It highlights MASH heterogeneity with liver‑centric and cardiometabolic subsets, arguing that optimal therapy will need stratified or combinatorial approaches that target metabolic dysfunction, fibrogenesis, inflammation, and the gut–liver axis, alongside lifestyle modification. Advances in disease phenotyping and biomarkers are seen as enabling a shift toward personalized, mechanism‑driven therapy.
UK researchers found MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease), formerly called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is being diagnosed more often but a large diagnostic gap remains. Linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes, MASLD risks are higher for overweight individuals, the over-50s and those with high blood pressure; the study suggests routine screening and a blood test to estimate liver fibrosis could help detect advanced disease earlier.
GLP-1 medications, originally developed for type 2 diabetes and obesity, are being studied for broader health benefits beyond weight loss, including better sleep, more energy, and improvements in liver and kidney health; evidence suggests both weight-dependent and weight-independent effects due to anti-inflammatory actions and multi-organ receptor activity. Strongest trial data show reduced sleep-disordered breathing in obesity and improved liver inflammation, while potential benefits for addiction and fertility remain uncertain and require caution. Side effects, cost, and variability in response mean that more research is needed to identify who benefits most and optimal dosing.
Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) can cause severe internal itching in adults, often without visible skin signs and with normal liver imaging, leading to delays or misdiagnosis as a skin condition. PFIC is a spectrum, not just a childhood disease, and diagnosis relies on symptoms plus genetic testing rather than scans. Awareness is growing and treatments like BYLVAY (odevixibat) can relieve itch for many patients, though effectiveness varies by PFIC type and there are potential side effects; patients are advised to consult an adult hepatologist and connect with PFIC support networks for diagnosis and management.
Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) can cause severe internal itching in adults, often misdiagnosed because PFIC is treated as a pediatric disorder and imaging may appear normal. Diagnosis relies on symptom patterns and genetic testing to uncover underlying mutations, recognizing PFIC on a spectrum in adults with variable liver function. Awareness, patient advocacy, and resources like the PFIC Network help patients get answers, while treatments such as BYLVAY (odevixibat) offer relief for itch with careful monitoring for side effects and vitamin deficiencies.
A UVA study of the National Poison Data System shows externally caused liver injuries have more than quadrupled since 2000, with acetaminophen taken alone (Tylenol) as the leading contributor and alcohol a distant second; about 220,000 reports involved people 15 and older, and more than 80% of injuries led to hospitalization. The rate rose from 10.9 to 52.9 exposures per million, though recent years show a steadier pace after regulatory limits on acetaminophen in combination products reduced such injuries in the 2010s. The piece also notes roughly 90,000 Americans report acetaminophen toxic exposures annually and highlights the importance of moderation and staying near 3,000 mg per day when possible, consulting a doctor for higher doses.
Gastroenterologist Dr. Anurag Shetty outlines early liver-disease signs—fatigue, nausea, reduced appetite, right‑sided abdominal discomfort, weight/muscle loss, and itching—and advanced symptoms like leg swelling, fluid in the abdomen, jaundice, vomiting blood, and cognitive changes. He notes that hepatitis A/E can progress quickly, while hepatitis B/C and cirrhosis can remain silent for years. The article emphasizes that you shouldn’t rely on symptoms alone; annual blood tests and ultrasound can detect problems early, especially if you have diabetes, obesity, regular alcohol use, viral-hepatitis risk, or a family history of liver disease, improving treatment outcomes with timely care and lifestyle changes.
PFIC, a rare genetic liver disorder, can present in adults as a severe, internal itch (pruritus) driven by bile-acid buildup, often mistaken for a skin issue. Diagnosis is challenging because PFIC is traditionally seen as pediatric and standard imaging is usually normal, making genetic testing and symptom review crucial. The condition exists on a spectrum in adults, with varying severity, and awareness plus access to adult hepatology is key to timely diagnosis and management. Treatments like BYLVAY (odevixibat) can relieve PFIC- and ALGS-related itch, though there are gene-specific considerations and potential side effects; patient advocacy and networks aid in navigating diagnosis and care.
Analyzing UK Biobank data over a median of 13 years in 354,957 adults, researchers found that higher coffee intake is linked to lower risks of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver-related death; MRI and proteomic data showed healthier liver tissue and metabolism in coffee drinkers, with benefits beginning at 1–2 cups daily and seen for both caffeinated and decaf coffee. The study is observational and cannot prove causation, so moderation is advised and coffee should not replace other liver-protective habits. Future work aims to identify the specific coffee compounds involved.
A large, long-term study of more than 354,000 participants found that regular coffee consumption is associated with lower risks of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver-related death, with bigger risk reductions at higher intake (even five cups or more). The study suggests the benefit may stem from coffee's antioxidants rather than caffeine, since decaffeinated coffee showed similar effects. Additives like sugar slightly dampen the benefit. The authors caution that these are associations, not proof of causation, and limitations include baseline-only coffee intake data and a predominantly European, health-conscious cohort. Coffee may have other health benefits as well, but moderation of sugar and caffeine is advised per guidelines.