Liver Damage and Lindsay Lohan: A Warning Signal for Teens and Twenty-Somethings?

Reports of possible liver damage from alcohol abuseDr. Kini adds, "It doesn't take 20 or 30 years of alcohol
by American actress Lindsay Lohan may help debunkabuse to cause liver damage or cirrhosis of the liver. If
the myth that liver damage and cirrhosis of the liveryou drink too much and too often, it might only take a
won't happen to someone in their 20's.few years before long term liver damage begins to
News reports that actress-singer Lindsay Lohan mayappear. So it can certainly happen to people in their
have liver damage will probably come as a surprise to20's. It can even happen to people in their teens if they
many people in their teens and 20's. Many youngstart drinking young enough."
people think liver damage only happens to middle-agedDr. Kini also notes that the livers of young woman are
people who have abused alcohol for years or evenmore at risk than livers of young men.
decades."Alcoholic liver disease develops in women after a
"Whether the reports about Ms. Lohan are true or not,shorter duration of drinking than men and with a lower
people in their teens and 20's should be made awaredaily alcohol intake. 40-80 g of alcohol daily in men and
that liver damage, even cirrhosis, can happen to them,"20-40 g of alcohol daily in women for 10-12 years can
according to Dr.Ratnakar Kini of the Department ofcause significant damage to the liver. But even a
Digestive Health and Diseases, Chennai, India.shorter duration of alcohol intake can cause at least
According to the reports, Lohan has liver damagesome damage to the liver. And even teenagers are
caused by too much drinking. The National Enquirersusceptable to liver damage if they do not abstain
claims that the problems were discovered duringfrom taking alcohol."
Lohans recent stint in hospital to have her appendixDr. Kini recently authored a series of articles related to
removed. "Lindsays liver panel shows her drinking isthe human liver and liver problems. The articles have
taking a terrible toll on her health. Her liver enzymesbeen published on the Internet at Topics covered by
are extremely elevated, and doctors warned her if shethe site include liver damage, cirrhosis of the liver, liver
doesn't quit boozing she could die."cysts, fatty liver disease, liver detoxification, liver
Lohan, who is 20 years old and not yet of legal drinkingcleansing and liver cancer.
age, is famous for her excessive partying. AccordingDr.Kini is a Gastroenterology resident at the
to ABC News, her representative, Lesley Sloan-Zelnik,Department of Digestive Health and Diseases, Chennai,
has confirmed that Lohan has checked into aIndia (formerly known as "Madras"). He is a Graduate
rehabilitation program following months of speculationin Pediatrics from The Institute of Child Health and
about her overuse of alcohol.Hospital for Children in Chennai.