Binge Drinking Even Once a Month Can Triple Advanced Liver Scarring

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A new study from the University of Southern California has found that occasional binge drinking, defined as four or more drinks in one day for women and five or more for men at least once a month, can triple the risk of advanced liver fibrosis in individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a type of fatty liver disease. The research challenges the traditional view that only average alcohol intake matters, highlighting the importance of drinking patterns.

Why it matters

The study suggests that the pattern of drinking, not just the total amount, is crucial when it comes to liver health. This challenges the common belief that moderate drinking is always safe and raises important questions about how our daily habits can accumulate to impact our health in significant ways. The findings have broader implications for public health, policy, and the need to rethink societal attitudes around binge drinking.

The details

The USC study analyzed six years of data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), focusing on individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The key finding was that occasional heavy drinking, defined as four or more drinks in one day for women and five or more for men, at least once each month, was linked to at least triple the chance of advanced liver fibrosis compared to spreading out alcohol consumption over a longer period of time. Younger adults and men were more likely to engage in this pattern of episodic binge drinking.

• The study analyzed data collected from 2011 to 2016.

What’s next

Researchers plan to further explore the risks associated with binge drinking patterns and develop new strategies for prevention and treatment of fatty liver disease.