Cirrhosis - Preventing cirrhosis

You can reduce your chances of developing cirrhosis by limiting your alcohol consumption and protecting yourself from a hepatitis infection.

Limiting your alcohol consumption

Heavy alcohol consumption is one of the most common causes of cirrhosis of the liver. One of the best ways to avoid this is to keep within recommended limits.

The recommended limits of alcohol consumption are:

• men – up to 21 units of alcohol a week (3-4 units a day)
• women – up to 14 units of alcohol a week (2-3 units a day)

If you have cirrhosis, you should stop drinking alcohol immediately because it speeds up the rate at which the condition progresses, regardless of the cause.

Read more about alcohol misuse.

Protect yourself from hepatitis

Cirrhosis can be caused by infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis B and C can be caught through having unprotected sex or by sharing needles in order to inject drugs.

Using a condom when having sex will help you avoid the risk of getting hepatitis, as will avoiding injecting drugs. Anyone who is at risk of getting hepatitis B, such as police officers and social care workers, can be protected by being vaccinated against the condition.

However, there is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C.

People born in areas of the world where hepatitis B and C are widespread, such as parts of South Asia and Africa, need to be screened for hepatitis, as early treatment can help prevent the onset of cirrhosis.