Study: Occasional Heavy Drinking Raises Liver Fibrosis Risk in MASLD

A new study from Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California has revealed that occasional heavy drinking significantly elevates the risk of severe liver damage, even among those who limit alcohol intake during the week. Researchers found that individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, who consume large amounts of alcohol in a single session at least once a month face nearly three times the likelihood of developing advanced liver fibrosis compared to those who distribute the same total weekly intake more evenly.

The study, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, analyzed data from more than 8,000 adults collected through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2017 to 2023. It specifically examined people with MASLD, the most common chronic liver condition in the United States, affecting about one in three adults. MASLD involves fat buildup in the liver and is associated with factors such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, though it is not directly caused by alcohol. Participants were grouped by similar age, sex, and average weekly alcohol consumption, with...