BBC journalist Hazel Martin shares her personal experience with alcohol-related liver damage, highlighting a growing health concern among women in the UK. At 31, she was shocked to learn from doctors that her drinking habits could be life-threatening, despite considering herself a social drinker.
Medical tests revealed severe alcohol-related liver fibrosis, a condition most likely caused by her drinking patterns. In the UK, alcohol-specific deaths are at their highest recorded levels, with more women under 45 dying from alcohol-related liver disease than ever before.
Recent research suggests binge drinking can be up to four times more damaging to the liver than consuming the same amount of alcohol over a longer period. In the UK, binge drinking is defined as consuming six or more units of alcohol in one sitting for women (approximately two large glasses of wine).
At King’s College Hospital, consultant hepatologist Debbie Shawcross regularly treats professional women in their 40s and 50s with liver disease. These women are often juggling multiple responsibilities and drinking as a habitual coping mechanism, rather than being classified as alcoholics.
Martin’s personal story is mirrored by Emma Jones, a 39-year-old who experienced a more severe progression of alcohol-related liver disease. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Jones’s drinking escalated to three bottles of wine daily, ultimately leading to end-stage liver disease. She was given less than 36 hours to live but miraculously survived and received a liver transplant after six months of sobriety.
Experts like Professor Fiona Measham from the University of Liverpool point to the alcohol industry’s targeted marketing towards women. In the 1990s and 2000s, the industry used feminist messaging and female empowerment to promote alcohol consumption, creating a drinking culture that has left a lasting impact.
Professor Carol Emslie notes that current marketing continues this trend, promoting concepts like “gin o’clock” and “wine time” as forms of self-care and relaxation for women.
The Portman Group, representing the alcohol industry, acknowledges the serious concern of alcohol-related liver disease but maintains that alcohol remains a legal product.
Martin’s personal journey shows hope for recovery. After her diagnosis, she stopped drinking, and a follow-up fibroscan revealed her liver had significantly improved, with her reading dropping from 10.2 to 4.7.
However, abstaining hasn’t been easy. Martin highlights how deeply alcohol is ingrained in social culture, from celebrations to everyday stress relief. Reprogramming her relationship with alcohol has been a challenging but necessary process.
Her story serves as a powerful warning about the potential health risks of seemingly normal drinking habits, particularly for women who might not recognize their consumption as problematic.
The article concludes by emphasizing the need for awareness about alcohol’s impact on health and the importance of recognizing potentially harmful drinking patterns.
