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Drinkers: Give Your Liver A Break! |
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Written by Superhuman
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Wednesday, 23 January 2008 |
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Heavy drinking increases the risk of liver disease, and adding overeating to the mix compounds the problem. Japanese researchers found that among men who drank regularly and heavily, going on the wagon for a few days enhanced liver function.
They compared heavy drinkers who drank every day with those who consumed the same amount of alcohol per week, but drank less often. Regular drinkers had higher death rates from all causes than men who drank less often. Drinking five or more days per week increased the death rate from all causes by 55 percent compared to men who drank only two times per month. These results may not apply to other racial groups. More than half of Japanese people have low levels of an enzyme that breaks down acetaldehyde— a chemical produced during the metabolism of alcohol that increases the risk of cancer. (American Journal Epidemiology, in press; published online March 6, 2007)
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