Alcohol-related liver disease. Alcoholism is
the second most common cause of cirrhosis
in the United States. Most people who
consume alcohol do not suffer damage to
the liver. However, heavy alcohol use over
several years makes a person more likely to
develop alcohol-related liver disease. The
amount of alcohol it takes to damage the
liver varies from person to person. Research
suggests that drinking two or fewer drinks
a day for women and three or fewer drinks
a day for men may not injure the liver.3
Drinking more than these amounts leads to
fat and inflammation in the liver, which over
10 to 12 years can lead to alcoholic cirrhosis.