Hi, I am a 28 year old male, I'm a recovering alcoholic and have not drank alcohol since 1st November 2017. I have Cirrhosis of the liver and varices however I keep in good health.
I have started drinking Boost energy drinks recently, I think they give me a bit of a buzz because I find it a bit more difficult in summer not to drink. My support worker and mum and dad are really concerned about the energy drinks can anyone give me their views on this please.
Thanks
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Your Boost drinks arn't a good idea. Some of these higher caffeine energy drinks have been linked with increased liver damage PLUS they have a huge sugar content too which is a serious hazard to an already poorly/damaged liver.
I don't know how many you are drinking a day but there are well documented stories of folks who have died after consuming too many of these drinks a day. (Body Builder Dean Wharmby died of liver cancer - he drank 6-7 of these sort of drinks per day).
Boost has more sugar per can and more caffeine per can than a can of normal Coca Cola.
caffeineinformer.com/caffei...
No wonder you are getting a buzz from them but also potentially harming your liver further.
I would seek out a healthier alternative if I were you.
Coffee is ok and research has shown it is actually good for the liver. Too much sugar though is harmful.
Katie
Listen to the advice given to you, look after your liver. Good luck with your continuing abstinence, you will find many benefits including your health.
Mark.
Thanks
Hi Costel
Well done on your continued abstinence.
In 2016 our then Chief Executive, released a statement as a comment on a BBC story about a possible link between energy drinks and hepatitis. Here is a link to the statement and BBC story;
britishlivertrust.org.uk/en...
We would therefore suggest that energy drinks are of no benefit for anyone, and moreover, could cause liver patients problems. You could chose to discuss this in more detail with your own liver specialist.
Best wishes
Trust1
Thanks
Hi Costello
I too felt that an alcohol free drink was missing something. I took to drinking ginger based drinks. That heat at the back off the throat was what I needed sometimes especially when it was hot. Try a ginger cordial with soda or fizzy water you can make it as strong as you like but it won’t have the sugar or get your heart racing like red bull or too much booze when you wake up at 3am!
Good luck
Isabelle
From what I've read. The sugars can be just as bad. I'd stay away (and I do)
Out of interest. How much were you drinking alcohol wise beforehand?
Cheers
G
I was drinking about 2/3 2 litre bottles of cheap cider, lager, vodka if I had the money. From first thing in the morning until whenever I closed my eyes. This was for about 5 years until I became very ill and was diagnosed with Cirrhosis.
Thanks for the info.
Yeah I'd steer away from anything super high in sugars. Especially anything fructose related. Found that is a devil in disguise
How many are you drinking per day? It can’t be that harmful in moderation and can only be better than alcohol. If you’re using energy drinks in moderation instead of alcohol, that can only be a good thing.
Fatty Liver disease caused by (in part) fizzy drinks is on the increase. Even children who drink fizzy drinks are presenting with fairly advanced liver disease. So whilst these drinks might be better than alcohol they certainly arn't safe. nhs.uk/news/food-and-diet/f...
Katie
Well ok, but Costel is turning to these drinks in order to avoid alcohol. I asked how many he was drinking as they are way better in moderation than alcohol. The study, which is very small, goes on to say:
“ in this study the participants already had NAFLD when their soft-drink consumption was measured. It cannot prove that one preceded the other.”
There’s nothing good about fizzy drinks at all. I don’t touch them, well apart from alcohol free beer but that’s for another thread coming soon. But in moderation, they’re far less harmful than alcohol.
That's just one site, one study. On top of an already cirrhotic liver a drink with high caffeine, high sugar content are in their own way potentially damaging and there are safer options. These are harmful in their own way.
Hi Ayrshire can I ask about the caffeine aspect because I was told by a liver research nurse when I was diagnosed with NASH and HCC that coffee was good for me and If I were to drink 2-3 cups a day it would be beneficial and also that caffeine has some anti cancer benefits.
If you already have damaged liver, as everyone has said, energy drinks are just as harmful and should be avoided completely!
Nowhere near as harmful. Ridiculous statement with no evidence.
Oh please let’s just not be difficult with each other. We are all just trying to help Costel who asked for advice. It’s not the occasion to be getting into squabbles.
Isabelle
Agree 100% and as someone who knows how hard it is to quit alcohol, I know that any substitute is better. Costel is clearly getting the urge to drink alcohol again, which is understandable, but we’re all in agreement that this must never happen. In costel’s case, as would be mine, one alcoholic drink is too many and then ten wouldn’t be enough.
If sugary drinks in moderation ger Costel through a tricky patch, then sugary drinks win hands down.
I don’t like sugary drinks and acknowledge their effect on health. Sugar, not saturated fat, is now thought to be a huge factor in heart disease, but as with all things it’s fine in moderation.
I hear you and would agree that this would be a better solution than alcohol if he were a recovering alcoholic without liver disease. But he has cirrhosis. When one has cirrhosis they have to learn that certain things are just now a NO without exceptions. Diet is of the upmost importance in cirrhosis and despite it being hard to get through, this guys health depends on everything being in tip top order. The only ones of us with alcoholic cirrhosis that do well follow that mindset like gospel. Those who dont and tinker with it just simply dont fare well at all in the long run. Its just that simple.
It is relevant to Costel, he has cirrhosis and diet is extremely important.
Yes and he fancies a beer which is a far worse choice than a fizzy drink.
Have a look at what he livertrust have said then
May I respectfully ask that you respect others and not call someone’s statement “ridiculous?” That is uncalled for. Especially someone who has had as much experience with Cirrhosis as Laura has? Costel has varices, which means his Cirrhosis is decompensated. At this stage, he needs our support to find a coping mechanism for his desire to drink which will NOT make things worse. You are correct that “Devil #2 (energy drinks) are somewhat better than “Devil #1” (alcohol). But Costel will benefit more from encouragement to abstain from BOTH. There are other alternatives. I agree with Isabel that we do not want to squabble, but we also need to make sure that information which is in conflict with that provided by the British Liver Trust is not advised to Cirrhosis patients. Your consideration of this, especially since you do not have this illness, would be much appreciated.
A perfect summary of where this thread should have remained and will hopefully return to. Very Best Chris
Nothing personal and no disrespect to anyone, but “energy drinks are as bad (as alcohol” and “should be avoided altogether” are not helpful statements.
Coco,
This is not about individuals having different but equally valid opinions. The British Liver Trust, which sponsors this forum, states that energy drinks can “be harmful” to those with liver disease. So, advising Costel to avoid them is indeed not only helpful, but also necessary. Let’s please not post advice that directly contradicts what the Trust has determined. Thank you so very much for respecting the Trust and it’s many experts who have given their time and talent to produce the best medical advice available.
He’s drinking this stuff (which I agree is unhealthy) as a short-term measure to avoid alcohol. He’s in a very precarious situation indeed, and it sounds touch and go whether he will continue with his sobriety. Telling him to avoid sugary drinks at all costs may well send him back to alcohol.
We can all be polite, etc, but I want Costel to steer clear of alcohol, which is about the toughest thing an ex-alcohol dependent will ever face.
Of course, we all want to help Costel stay of the booze but he also wanted an answer to whether it was ok to substitute the alcohol with fizzy drinks. His parents have advised him against it and as he has cirrhosis we have all advised against it too. If he didnt have cirrhosis but merely wanted to give up drinking alcohol, then yes maybe the odd fizzy drink to help cure the craving may be an acceptable short term fix but certainly not when the liver is already damaged. I have already listed the safe alternatives recommended by medical liver experts. I hope you are now happy with the answers everyone has given and hope Costel will follow the advice given by those who have been in a similar situation and living with the same disease.
Costel, everything you need to know on this topic can be found in Laura's comment above. Please heed her advice. Please also also consider seeking support to stay sober from either of the organizations listed below. People on this forum have found either one or the other to be very helpful (they are fairly different in their approaches). You are young. Wishing you the best of health.
Very well said x
When my husband was diagnosed with alcoholic cirrhosis and finally quit the booze he was told by his liver specialist to also avoid all fizzy drinks as they also cause further liver damage. He recomended drinking water, tea, coffee ( without sugar) and the protein drinks he had been prescribed.
Here is a research study that should interest you.
dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream...
Interesting, but it’s about the marketing of alcohol and not fizzy drinks.
I congratulate you on your intelligence and cognitive ability. Three minutes to absorb a detailed research report.
Wrong thread again? I can skim a document to get the gist. It’s about alcohol marketing.
You are opening your alcohol free brewery, you might want a closer look.
Thanks for the plug, but you are in the wrong thread.
Alcohol free beer, which i don’t even drink much of anymore, helped stopped me drinking. If I’d carried on drinking, I’d have probably developed liver disease. Therefore, alcohol free beer helped to stop probable liver disease. If you can’t see the connection here and continue with your rhetoric, you’re not helping as many people as you claim you are.
You are on the wrong forum. This is for people with liver disease and those who care for them.
Don’t read my posts then. I’m happy to reciprocate. I seem to get a lot of thanks on this forum and I’m always happy to help, but whatever legally it takes to stop someone drinking is fair game.
Energy drinks may be legal, but please read the advice of the British Liver Forum. The link was posted above by Trust but I shall paste it for you here. Thank you very much.
healthunlocked.com/api/redi...
I agree 100% with the advice given.
I hope Costel gives up his fizzy drinks, because as everyone’s been saying they’re no good at all. It’ll be fairly easy for him to give up as these drinks aren’t particularly addictive compared to alcohol, which is harder to give up than just about any other substance
Everyone so far has said stop drinking fizzy drinks. Do you not realise Costel is an alcoholic? Can someone offer an alternative to these fizzy drinks because it’s very likely to be alcohol I’m afraid.
I really hope he gets off the fizzy stuff. I too hate it and hope it gets banned eventually, but I hope even more that Costel doesn’t head back to alcohol.
Water.... coffee .... tea .... Milk......Protein shakes on prescription for people with alcohol related liver disease in fact anything without added sugar and fizz. They are healthy alternatives. The people on this forum with experience of alcohol addiction and cirrhosis are all saying the same thing. Avoid fizzy high energy drinks they will only cause further liver damage. FACT !
Agreed that hopefully he doesnt end up back on alcohol. Unfortunately when you get as far a cirrhosis it can be a live or die choice really quickly if it becomes decompensated. You've been on the forum long enough to see that to be true. That choice has to be made for himself including all other dietary choices. Keeping the liver compensated is the only way to survive for years to come. At the end of the day only ones self can make that choice. Time is not on a persons side when it comes to cirrhosis if its not treated with the upmost respect. No it isnt easy. But its without option if one wishes to survive long term. I wish I could sit back once and a while and have a few. But I know I cant and thats just the way it has to be. I can from experience say when I have gone off on a sugar binge theres nothing in the world that feels just like a hangover the next day now that I have cirrhosis. Its bloody awful.
Thanks
Should have gone to specsavers, I can not see any likes. You started drinking at 20:00? You then needed a magic pill to stop your ‘urges’. 08:00 is when you can start buying alcohol.
If you go to the Fox and Anchor in Smithfield, they serve well before then.
Okey dokey, carry on working behind the scenes.
mobile.twitter.com/osirispr...
That’s more like it. You do realise I’d rather say nice things to you than bicker. Could you take some time to discuss Osiris programme and raise some awareness on here, please
Its about looking after you health, specifically your liver
Weither you have Liver damage or are perfectly healthy, those drinks are pure shit for you. There just a pile of sugar and caffiene.
You have cirrhosis and those drinks will do nothing to help your situation. The increased boat load of sugar can only serve to cause more inflammation to an already beat up liver. So needless to say you shouldnt drink them. I get your using it to avoid drinking alcohol. But you have cirrhosis. Alcohol is a thing of the past for you period. Time to take that seriously and do what's best for your liver. Your life kinda sorta depends on it right...
Thank3
Well put as ever, Phoenix. About time I said something positive on this thread 
I admit I’m a bit OTT at times, but we all agree Costel must not drink alcohol, not easy at all. Good stuff, Costel.
Hi, I can only go by my experience, the hospital and myself tried a little experiment, I love diet Coke or Pepsi, my Kidney results were discouraging, so I went on no added sugar cordials, now everything I drink I drink ice cold, and this wasn't too bad, I experimented with different flavours which got me off the Coke and more importantly Asparentime in the three months between Bloods taken to make sure the new liver was happy the Kidney functions returned almost to normal, so make what you like from that, I've also looked into these energy drinks and if you want to keep drinking them its up to you, but personally I would not like them on the outside of my body let alone on the inside!!
Energy drinks are no good for you
They contain the caffeine equivalent of 4 espressos & 70g of sugar per small can. You need to eat a diet that contains carbs, proteins & fat to sustain energy.
Although you get an instant buzz from the energy drink 30 mins after digestion you have used that energy & will find yourself reaching for another.
Energy drinks are just as addictive as alcohol & in the lung term can have the same negative affects. See it on the students I teach every day which is why the government is going to ban them for sale for under 18s. They were designed for elite athletes
Hi Costel
I too am an alcoholic with cirrhosis and PBC. I stopped drinking in November 2017.
Finding alternatives to alcohol is one of the most difficult things to do on a daily basis. I have used alcohol free beers as my crutch (make sure they are 0.0% as some top brands claim to be alcohol free when they are not).
I have never liked coke/ lemonade etc so am always finding it difficult to buy something I like, especially when away from home. I have been known to take a dozen cans of alcohol free beer on a plane just as that reassurance.
People who are not/ have never been alcoholics will not understand that internal pull towards the ‘I’ll just have one’ thoughts.
I have no idea about high energy drinks and how it affects the liver, but high sugar whatever the health condition can’t be good for you. I hope you can stay positive and as Phoenix said you have to look after your liver now. I am still coming to terms with this too especially as I’m finding it difficult to get advice on best things to eat and drink, recipes especially.
Well done to you. Yes, it would be so easy to have that one drink, so you’re very strong to not do so.
I had to smile at the alco free cans on the plane. I’ve just about confronted all my triggers points but have some long-haul flights coming up. Can I ask how you got the cans through security and the 100ml limits?
It’s a good plan, so well done again. Keep it up
Sorry not to be clear. I put the cans in my hold luggage and had one as soon as I landed which got me over the anxiety. I then had emergency supplies for the rest of my stay. Needless to say I didn’t take any back and had room for lots of new shoes!!
Good plan! I know exactly how you feel, well apart from the shoes Sounds like you’re coping well
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