What Can Affect Your Liver
Fatty Liver Disease and MASLD
Fatty liver disease is one of the most common liver conditions in Australia.
It happens when too much fat builds up in the liver. All livers contain some fat. It only becomes a problem when there is too much.
There are two main types:
- MASLD (Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) – linked to metabolic factors such as excess weight, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and poor diet. This is the updated name for what was previously called NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)
- Alcohol-related fatty liver disease – caused by heavy or long-term alcohol use
Key facts:
- Around 1 in 3 Australian adults has fatty liver disease
- Most people have no symptoms in the early stages
- Early-stage fatty liver can often be improved or reversed with lifestyle changes
- If left untreated, it can progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer
Steps that can help:
- Eating a balanced, nutritious diet
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Staying physically active
- Reducing or avoiding alcohol
- Managing conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol
- Speaking with your GP about your liver health
If you have risk factors for fatty liver disease, speak with your GP about getting a liver health check.
Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
Alcohol is processed by the liver. Drinking too much over time can cause serious liver damage.
How alcohol affects the liver:
Alcohol-related liver disease can develop in stages:
- Fatty liver – the earliest stage; fat builds up in the liver. This can be reversed if alcohol use stops
- Alcoholic hepatitis – the liver becomes inflamed. This can be serious
- Cirrhosis – permanent scarring of the liver. This stage is largely irreversible
Key facts:
- Not everyone who drinks heavily will develop liver disease, but regular heavy drinking significantly increases the risk
- Damage can occur even without obvious symptoms
- Women can develop alcohol-related liver disease at lower levels of drinking than men
- Having another liver condition, such as hepatitis C, increases the risk further
Australian guidelines recommend:
- No more than 10 standard drinks per week
- No more than 4 standard drinks on any single day
Steps that can help:
- Reducing or stopping alcohol use
- Speaking with a GP or health worker if you want support to change your drinking
- Getting regular liver health checks if you drink regularly
Reducing alcohol is one of the most effective things you can do to protect your liver.
Viral Hepatitis B and C
Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are viral infections that directly affect the liver. Both are leading causes of serious liver disease in Australia.
Hepatitis B:
- Spread through blood, sexual contact, and from mother to baby during birth
- Can become a chronic (long-term) infection
- Over time, chronic hepatitis B can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer
- There is no cure, but effective treatments can manage the virus and protect the liver
- A safe and effective vaccine is available
Hepatitis C:
- Spread through blood-to-blood contact, most commonly through sharing injecting equipment
- Can become a chronic infection if not treated
- Untreated hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer over many years
- Hepatitis C can now be cured with a short course of tablets
- Testing is simple – a finger prick test can give results in under an hour
Key facts:
- Many people with hepatitis B or C have no symptoms for years
- Testing is the only way to know your status
- Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent serious liver damage
Medications, Supplements and Toxins
The liver processes everything that enters the body, including medications and supplements. Some substances can cause liver damage, particularly when taken in large amounts or over a long period.
Common causes of medication-related liver damage:
- Paracetamol taken in doses higher than recommended – paracetamol overdose is the most common cause of acute liver failure in Australia
- Certain prescription medications, including some antibiotics, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and anti-inflammatory medicines
- Herbal supplements and traditional medicines — some can cause serious liver harm even when taken as directed
- Anabolic steroids and some performance-enhancing substances
Key facts:
- Liver damage from medications or supplements may not cause symptoms straight away
- Risk increases if you have an existing liver condition or drink alcohol regularly
- “Natural” does not always mean safe for the liver
Steps that can help:
- Always take medications as directed by your doctor or pharmacist
- Tell your GP about all supplements and herbal products you are taking
- Avoid taking more than the recommended dose of paracetamol
- Speak with your GP before starting new supplements if you have a liver condition
If you have concerns about medications or supplements and your liver health, speak with your GP or pharmacist.
Injecting Drug Use and Blood-Borne Viruses
Sharing injecting equipment is one of the most common ways that blood-borne viruses – including hepatitis B and hepatitis C – are transmitted. These viruses can cause serious liver damage over time.
Key facts:
- Hepatitis C is most commonly spread through sharing needles, syringes, spoons, filters, or water
- Hepatitis B can also be passed on through shared injecting equipment
- Many people who acquire hepatitis C through injecting drug use are not aware they have it
- Both hepatitis B and C can be tested for easily, and hepatitis C can now be cured
Steps that can help:
- Always use sterile injecting equipment and never share
- Access free needles, syringes, and other supplies through a Needle and Syringe Program (NSP)
- Get tested regularly for hepatitis B and C
- Speak with a health worker or peer about harm reduction options
Hepatitis ACT runs a free, confidential Needle and Syringe Program and offers point-of-care hepatitis testing. You do not need an appointment.
For more information on safer injecting practice, visit the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL) at aivl.org.au