When your body’s defense system turns on your own liver, you’re dealing with autoimmune liver disease, a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks liver cells, causing inflammation and long-term damage. Also known as autoimmune hepatitis, it’s not caused by alcohol or viruses—it’s your own immune system running wild. This isn’t rare. It affects women more often than men, and it can show up at any age, sometimes after a viral infection or while taking certain drugs.
What makes this tricky is that symptoms often sneak up. Fatigue, joint pain, jaundice, and dark urine might be written off as stress or a bad flu. But if your liver keeps getting attacked, scarring builds up—leading to cirrhosis or even liver failure. That’s why liver function tests, blood tests that measure enzymes and proteins produced by the liver are critical. They catch problems before you feel them. And if you’re on long-term meds like isoniazid or certain antibiotics, you’re already at higher risk. drug-induced liver injury, liver damage caused by medications, supplements, or toxins can mimic autoimmune disease, making diagnosis harder.
There’s no cure, but treatment works if caught early. Steroids and immune suppressants are the go-to, but they come with their own side effects—weight gain, bone loss, higher infection risk. That’s why monitoring is non-negotiable. You need regular blood work, sometimes liver scans, and careful tracking of how your body reacts to every new pill or supplement. Even something as simple as St. John’s wort or high-dose vitamin A can push a fragile liver over the edge. And if you’re also managing diabetes or taking alcohol with meds, you’re stacking risks on top of each other.
The posts below dig into exactly these connections. You’ll find real breakdowns of how drugs like isoniazid cause liver damage, why alcohol makes autoimmune liver disease worse, and how to spot early signs of trouble before it’s too late. We cover what tests matter, what meds to avoid, and how to talk to your doctor about protecting your liver—not just treating symptoms. This isn’t theoretical. These are the stories and data that help people stay ahead of the damage.
Dec, 1 2025
Autoimmune hepatitis is a chronic liver disease where the immune system attacks the liver. Diagnosis relies on blood tests and biopsy. Steroids and azathioprine are the standard treatment, effectively controlling inflammation and preventing liver damage in most patients.