No doubt about it: We live in a drinking culture, especially now that many of us are self-isolating or under stress. It can seem like every time you turn around, there’s an opportunity to have a beer or a glass of wine. But what is that drink—or those nights of drinking—doing to your liver?
The liver, as you’ve probably heard, is the body’s largest internal organ. Befitting its substantial territory, it performs more than 500 functions, including metabolizing fats, carbs and protein; producing bile; and detoxifying the blood. When you take a drink of alcohol (otherwise known as ethanol), it’s absorbed through the stomach and small intestines, where it spreads into the bloodstream. Here’s what that does to your liver. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You May Have Already Had COVID.
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