Is Cirrhosis Caused Only By Alcoholism?

Myths about Digestive Disorders

Researchers have only recently begun to understand the many, often complex diseases that affect the digestive system. Accordingly, people are gradually replacing folklore, old wives' tales, and rumors about the causes and treatments of digestive diseases with accurate, up-to-date information. But misunderstandings still exist, and while some folklore is harmless, some can be dangerous if it keeps a person from correctly preventing or treating an illness. Listed below is a common misconception (fallacy), about a digestive disease, followed by the facts as professionals understand them today.

Cirrhosis

Is Cirrhosis caused only by alcoholism?

No!

Alcoholism is just one of many causes of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is scarring and decreased function of the liver. In the United States, alcohol causes less than one-half of cirrhosis cases.

The remaining cases are from diseases that cause liver damage. For example, in children, cirrhosis may result from:

• cystic fibrosis,
• alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency,
• biliary atresia,
• glycogen storage disease, and
• other rare diseases.

In adults, cirrhosis may be caused by:

• hepatitis B or C,
• primary biliary cirrhosis,
• diseases of abnormal storage of metals like iron or copper in the body,
• severe reactions to prescription drugs, or
• injury to the ducts that drain bile from the liver.

In adults, cirrhosis can also be caused by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is becoming the most common liver disease in the United States, affecting 2 to 5 percent of Americans.