Alcohol-Related Liver Disease Surges Nationwide, Impacting Women More

UC Health reports alcohol-related liver disease now accounts for nearly half of all liver transplants, with women disproportionately affected.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 8:07pm

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UC Health is reporting a alarming nationwide trend of rising alcohol-related liver disease, which now accounts for nearly half of all liver transplants in their hospital system. Women seem to be disproportionately impacted by this issue, as they have less body water, more body fat, and fewer alcohol-degrading enzymes, causing more severe liver damage with lower alcohol intake. Doctors warn the early stages may have no symptoms, but as the disease progresses, it can lead to serious complications like nausea, fatigue, abdominal pain, and mental confusion.

Why it matters

This trend reflects a broader public health crisis around alcohol abuse, with hospitals across the U.S. reporting alcohol-related liver disease as the leading reason for liver transplants, surpassing even Hepatitis C. The disproportionate impact on women raises concerns about gender disparities in how alcohol abuse manifests and is treated.

The details

According to Dr. Neha Sharma, a medical expert at KRDO, the rise in alcohol-related liver disease is not isolated to Colorado, but is a nationwide phenomenon that hospitals are grappling with. Women are more susceptible due to biological factors - they have less body water and more body fat, causing alcohol to become more concentrated in their bloodstream. Women also have fewer enzymes that break down alcohol, allowing it to remain active in the body for longer and cause more damage.

  • UC Health has reported the alarming trend of alcohol-related liver disease becoming the leading cause of liver transplants in their hospital system.
  • This nationwide trend has accelerated since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The players

Dr. Neha Sharma

A medical expert at KRDO who discussed the rise in alcohol-related liver disease and its disproportionate impact on women.

UC Health

A hospital system that has reported alcohol-related liver disease now accounts for nearly half of all liver transplants performed.

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What they’re saying

“We are seeing similar trends across the U.S., so it is a nationwide trend, and hospitals across the nation are seeing alcohol-related liver disease as the leading reason for liver transplant, replacing Hepatitis C. Colorado is not an outlier. What UC Health is seeing actually reflects what transplant centers are reporting nationwide, especially since the pandemic.”

— Dr. Neha Sharma, Medical Expert

“It's actually biology, so women have less body water and more body fat, which means that alcohol gets more concentrated in the bloodstream... we also have less alcohol degrading enzymes, which means alcohol stays active in the body longer, causing more damage, so women can get more severe liver disease with lower amounts of alcohol in shorter amount of time when compared to men.”

— Dr. Neha Sharma, Medical Expert

What’s next

Doctors recommend that anyone concerned about their liver health from excessive drinking should seek medical attention, as the early stages of alcohol-related liver disease may not have obvious symptoms. While the liver can heal in early stages if alcohol consumption is stopped, cirrhosis and permanent scarring require more intensive treatment.

The takeaway

This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for greater public awareness and access to resources for addressing alcohol abuse, particularly among women who may be more biologically susceptible to the damaging effects. Healthcare providers must also be vigilant in screening for and treating alcohol-related liver disease before it progresses to life-threatening stages.