What Is Chronic Liver Disease?

While chronic liver disease can be very serious, early treatment and new healthy lifestyle habits can help many people avoid severe liver damage.

• Inflammation (Hepatitis) In this earlier stage, the liver becomes swollen or inflamed.
• Fibrosis Chronic injury to the liver can lead to scarring of the liver tissue, which is called fibrosis. If caught early (and depending on the cause), fibrosis may be reversible in some cases.
• Cirrhosis In cirrhosis, scarring of the liver becomes permanent and can’t be reversed. People with cirrhosis are more likely to develop liver cancer.
• Liver Failure This means the liver stops functioning completely.

• Nausea
• Upper abdominal pain
• Fatigue

When liver disease progresses, you also may start to notice symptoms that are more strictly associated with declining liver health:

• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites in the eyes)
• Pale-colored stool
• Dark-colored urine
• Weight loss or muscle loss
• Trouble digesting foods, particularly fats
• Itchy skin

As chronic liver disease advances, liver dysfunction can cause changes to your hormones, nutrient absorption, and blood flow. As these start to develop, you may notice:

• Changes in the appearance and structure of your nails
• Easy bleeding and bruising
• Red palms on your hands
• Small yellow bumps of fat deposits on your eyelids or skin
• Spider angiomas, purple marks near the surface of the skin
• Small red dots on your skin (petechiae)
• Swelling in the body, including in the abdomen, ankles, feet, hands, and face

In women, symptoms may also include infertility and irregular periods. In men, additional symptoms may include shrinking testicles and development of breasts.

• Alcoholic liver disease, which is caused by excessive alcohol consumption
• Hepatitis B, C, and D liver infections caused by viruses
• Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition in which extra fat builds up in the liver (Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, is the advanced stage of MASLD.)
• Inherited conditions, such as Wilson’s disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and hemochromatosis
• Autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis

• Are a heavy drinker
• Have type 2 diabetes
• Have obesity or metabolic syndrome
• Smoke
• Use certain illicit drugs, such as cocaine

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• Share needles with others
• Are exposed to other people’s body fluids or blood
• Have unprotected sex
• Use certain herbal products, including chaparral, comfrey tea, kava, skullcap, and yohimbe

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• Abuse certain common medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol)

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• Are exposed to certain toxins on the job, such as carbon tetrachloride used in dry cleaning solvent, vinyl chloride that's used to make plastics, the herbicide paraquat, and industrial chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls

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• Have a family history of liver disease

Chronic liver disease treatment options depend on your overall health, the type of liver disease you have, and the extent of your disease.

Medication Options

Medications to treat chronic liver disease will vary based on the underlying cause. Some medications a doctor may use include:

• Antivirals for hepatitis are available for hepatitis B and C.

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• Corticosteroids and immunosuppressants can help treat autoimmune related liver disease

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• The obesity drug Wegovy (semaglutide) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2025 to treat metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis.

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   Another new drug, resmetirom (Rezdiffra) was approved in 2024 for the same condition.

• Antibiotics to prevent or treat infections
• Steroids to help reduce inflammation in the liver
• Lactulose, a laxative that helps to remove toxins through your stool
• Rifaximin (Xifaxan) to help prevent confusion associated with cirrhosis
• Diuretics to help remove excessive fluids
• Beta blockers to help prevent bleeding from blood vessels

Vaccinations

Liver Transplant

• Avoid or limit alcohol consumption.
• Eat a healthy diet that’s low in sodium.
• Exercise regularly.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Practice safe sex.
• Avoid sharing needles.
• Get vaccinated against hepatitis viruses.
• Follow the recommended dosages on medication labels.
• Don’t mix medication with alcohol or other drugs.
• Avoid contact with other people’s bodily fluids.
• Wash your hands before eating or preparing food.
• Protect yourself from toxic chemicals.

Lifestyle changes play an important part in chronic liver disease management at every stage of its development. Lifestyle changes can include dietary changes, increased exercise, and avoiding alcohol and certain medications.

Make Changes to Your Diet and Nutrition Intake

• Includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, like olive oil and fish fat
• Limits sugars, red meats, and processed foods
• Eliminates alcohol consumption

• Make carbohydrates your main source of calories.
• Eat a moderate amount of fat.
• Eat a late-night snack to prevent muscle loss
• Take certain vitamin supplements. Liver disease can affect how your body absorbs certain nutrients, especially B-complex vitamins and vitamin D.
• Limit the amount of sodium you consume to 2,000 milligrams (mg) a day or less.

It’s important that you talk to your doctor before changing your diet. Your healthcare provider can help you come up with an eating plan to fit your individual nutritional needs.

Get Regular Exercise

Your physical fitness level always plays a huge role in your overall health, and it is one of the most important treatments for people with metabolic liver disease (MASLD or MASH).

Stop Drinking Alcohol

Use Caution with Medicine and Supplements

• Germander
• Vitamin A
• Ma-huang
• Pennyroyal oil
• Valerian
• Mistletoe
• Skullcap
• Chaparral
• Comfrey
• Kava

Many things factor into your own prognosis and no one can predict exactly how long you will live following diagnosis.

• Ascites, a buildup of fluid that collects in the abdomen, which can be painful or uncomfortable
• Esophageal varices, engorged blood vessels that happen as a result of build up of pressures from a scarred liver
• Liver cancer
• Kidney disease or kidney failure

American Liver Foundation (ALF) Online Support Groups

The mission of this nonprofit is to promote education, advocacy, and support for those who have liver disease. They have links to more than a dozen online groups, based on the core cause of your liver problems.

Liver Education Advocates 

All liver disease patients, caregivers, and transplant recipients are welcome to join this nonprofit’s online support group. This resource can help connect you with other patients and family members who are impacted by this disease.

• Chronic liver disease is a liver condition that damages the liver for six months or longer. Common causes include hepatitis, alcohol use, underlying inherited disorders, and obesity-related diseases.
• The progression of chronic liver disease will depend on which type of underlying liver problems you have. Symptoms in later stages may include fatigue, nausea, jaundice, swelling, and easy bleeding or bruising.
• Treatment options for chronic liver disease depend on the underlying cause and can include medications, vaccinations against hepatitis viruses, and liver transplant if your liver disease is very serious. If you do receive a transplant, you will need to take immunosuppressants for the rest of your life.
• Chronic liver disease can be slowed and sometimes even reversed with lifestyle changes such as limiting alcohol consumption, getting regular exercise, losing weight, and adopting a healthy diet.