From timescolonist.com
Dear Dr. Roach: I switched to nonalcoholic beer a week ago due to an upcoming fibroscan on my liver later next month. I was diagnosed with a mild fatty liver this past August. I’m experiencing insomnia, plus I get up to urinate five to six times a night. Previously, it was only two to three times a night. Any thoughts or recommendations?
A.C.
The most important recommendation I have is to continue keeping off alcohol. Even the relatively modest amount of alcohol in beer is not a good idea in people with MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, what we used to call “fatty liver”). Switching to non-alcoholic beer was a wise choice. Alcohol probably increases the risk of liver disease worsening into conditions such as steatohepatitis, fibrosis and ultimately cirrhosis. (A fibroscan is a test to look for fibrosis of the liver.)
Why you are having to urinate more at night isn’t completely clear to me. If you are drinking more non-alcoholic beer than you were drinking regular beer, this would explain it. The effect of alcohol on urination is complex; alcohol initially suppresses the antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which causes increased urine output. The ADH levels are lower later on, so it’s possible that while drinking beer, you got rid of your fluid faster.
When you have excess urinating at night, the first step is to stop drinking so much (of any fluid) in the evening and night time. If this doesn’t solve the problem, it’s time to consider issues with the prostate (for men) and bladder (for men and women).
Alcohol also has variable effects on sleep, and if you are used to drinking most nights or every night, your body could be going through a mild withdrawal where insomnia is very common. I expect this to get better over time, and I recommend avoiding sleep medications, either over-the-counter or prescription. If the sleep problem continues, there are behavioural treatments you can try. Just ask your primary care doctor.
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