Experts pinpoint how many drinks increase fatty liver disease risk,
A major study has identified how many weekly alcoholic drinks put you at risk of developing deadly liver disease.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)—previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is estimated to affect up to 40% of people globally.
It a potentially life-threatening illness, and is caused by a buildup of excess fat in the liver that isn’t caused by the consumption of alcohol.
Previous studies have found a link between MASLD and and increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancers of the liver, breast and thyroid.
The latest study, led by a team from the Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria, reviewed 100 studies that highlighted risk factors, prevention and treatment options for MASLD.
The researchers looked at studies on MASLD that included adults aged 18 years or older which were published between 2000 and 2025.
The breadth of the research was substantial, with data taken from 99 articles, made up of 46 observational studies, 15 randomised clinical trials, 16 large reviews, 15 reviews and seven guidelines.
The analysis found that consuming more than two standard drinks for women, and three standard drinks for men, per week increases your risk of developing the illness.
One ‘standard drink’ is equivalent to three quarters of a pint of beer, a small glass of wine and 44ml of 40 per cent strength distilled spirits, for reference, in the UK a standard ‘single’ shot is 25ml.
This means drinking just three small glasses of wine raises men’s risk of developing MASLD, and the risk increases with just two small glassed of wine for women.
Writing in the journal JAMA, the authors said: ‘First-line treatment includes behavioural modifications including weight-reducing diet, physical exercise and avoidance of alcohol.’
The fresh analysis found that being overweight or obese was the ‘most important’ risk factor of the illness.
However, other risk factors they identified included having high blood pressure, having low levels of ‘good cholesterol’ and elevated blood sugar levels.
Other behavioural risk factors included a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and consuming too much sugar.
They identified that this high sugar intake was most commonly from having more than one sugar-sweetened beverages a day.
Genetics can also play a role in increasing the risk of the illness, such as having the hereditary PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 genes.
Having gone through menopause was also a risk factor as it lowers your levels of oestrogen – a hormone that typically helps the body regulate fat and sugar.
The NHS says the trouble with MASLD is that it doesn’t usually cause any symptoms, allowing it to fly under the radar.
Symptoms can include feeling tired, feeling generally unwell and experiencing live pain or discomfort, felt in the abdomen, under the right side of the ribs, it says.
It warns you should see a GP if you think you could have the illness or think you’re at a higher risk of it.
MASLD is typically diagnosed after blood tests or scans are done for another reason, and signs show up with your liver.
However, if a GP thinks you may have the illness, they may arrange more blood tests or scans such as an ultrasound.
The illness comes in four stages – fatty liver (steatosis), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis and cirrhosis.
The first stage, steatosis, is where there is a build-up of fat, but not yet any damage to the liver.
NASH, the second stage, is when the build-up of fat has caused inflammation in the liver, but not yet serious damage.
Meanwhile fibrosis is the stage when there is damage to the liver, but it can still be working well.
The final stage, cirrhosis is when there is irreversible, and severe damage, to the liver.
This can lead to internal bleeding, liver failure, liver cancer or sepsis, the NHS warns.
