Impact of binge drinking on alcoholic liver disease

Abstract

Numerous studies have examined the pathophysiological changes induced by chronic alcohol (ethanol) consumption and the underlying mechanisms, while much less attention has been devoted to understanding the health impacts of binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as the excessive consumption of alcohol within a single drinking episode, and is the typical consumption pattern among young people in Western countries. While most young binge drinkers are not clinically alcohol dependent, binge drinking has emerged as a significant social and public health concern. The circulating alcohol consumed during binge episodes permeates cellular membranes throughout the body, exerting profound effects on multiple organs, and signaling pathways. Regular binge drinking eventually induces hepatic steatosis (fatty liver), initiates acute inflammation, and accelerates neutrophil infiltration, de novo lipogenesis, adipocyte death/lipolysis, and the production of nonoxidative alcohol metabolites, processes that synergize to damage liver tissue and impair liver function. Metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes and obesity can also exacerbate the progression of alcohol-related liver disease among binge drinkers. Several animal models have been developed to evaluate the pathophysiological changes resulting from binge drinking; however, the pathogenesis of binge drinking is not fully understood due to differences in alcohol metabolism between animal models and humans. Thus, given the high prevalence and severe health implications of binge drinking, there is an urgent need for comprehensive experimental and clinical investigations to unravel the associated pathophysiological changes. This review summarizes recent research findings on the impact of binge drinking, specifically focusing on its contributions to alcoholic liver injury.