The liver regulates most chemicals in the blood and excretes a product called bile. This helps carry away waste products from the liver. All the blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver. The liver processes this blood and breaks down, it creates the nutrients and also metabolizes drugs into forms that are easier to use for the rest of the body.
Excess alcohol consumption can lead to irreversible damage to the liver. The liver breaks down most of the alcohol you drink so that it can be removed from the body. This creates substances that are even more harmful than alcohol. These substances can damage liver cells and cause serious liver disease.
The advancement of treatment has changed over the years.