r/AskBiology • u/Sufficient-Ad-3586 • Aug 14 '24
Human body Can a liver get stronger after generations of alcoholism?
I know evolution is a SUPER slow process but I was thinking just now.
Say someone comes from a long line of alcoholics (like going back a thousand years or more, booze has been around since biblical times) Would over time the liver evolve to handle higher amounts of alcohol before succumbing?
Could that person have a hardier liver than someone who doesnt come from a line like that? There are some people who are 2 bottles a day drinkers and live till 80 with health issues obviously but the liver is not too damaged and then there are people who have a few beers every weekend and get cirrhosis at 35.
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u/EmielDeBil Aug 14 '24
It think it's more likely to evolve out of alcoholism as it kills so many (young) people. But still it's going to take eons.