The liver also plays a key role in the metabolism of fats in the body. It helps to break down and store fats and convert them into energy.
Drinking too much alcohol can cause excess fat to accumulate in the liver. The processing of alcohol interferes with the processing of fats. The liver metabolises the fats in the blood too slowly, and increasing amounts of fat are stored in the liver cells. The liver grows abnormally large.
This also makes the liver more vulnerable to injuries such as tissue damage and scarring – cirrhosis of the liver. A fatty liver can also lead to loss of appetite and nausea.