Autoimmune Liver Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and What You Need to Know

When your body’s defense system turns against your own liver, you’re dealing with autoimmune liver disease, a group of conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks liver cells, leading to inflammation and long-term damage. Also known as autoimmune hepatitis, it’s not caused by alcohol, viruses, or toxins—it’s your own immune system on the wrong track. This isn’t rare. It affects hundreds of thousands in the U.S. alone, mostly women between 30 and 60, but it can strike anyone. Left unchecked, it can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, or even the need for a transplant.

There are three main types you should know: autoimmune hepatitis, where immune cells attack liver tissue directly, causing swelling and scarring; primary biliary cholangitis, a slow attack on the bile ducts inside the liver; and primary sclerosing cholangitis, where bile ducts outside and inside the liver become inflamed, scarred, and blocked. These aren’t the same as hepatitis B or C. You can’t catch them. They don’t come from dirty needles or unsafe sex. They show up because your genes, environment, and immune system collide in the wrong way.

Many people with autoimmune liver disease don’t feel sick at first. Fatigue, joint pain, and itching skin are early red flags. Jaundice—yellow skin or eyes—comes later. Blood tests often show high liver enzymes, and a biopsy confirms it. Treatment usually starts with steroids like prednisone to calm the immune response, sometimes combined with azathioprine. But these drugs have side effects. That’s why you’ll see posts here about drug reactions, like AGEP or chemo hypersensitivity, because the same immune overdrive that causes liver damage can trigger severe skin rashes or allergic responses to meds. It’s all connected.

What you’ll find below isn’t just a list of articles. It’s a practical toolkit. You’ll read about how certain drugs—like ampicillin, doxycycline, or NSAIDs—can trigger or worsen liver inflammation in sensitive people. You’ll learn how immune reactions to medications can mimic autoimmune disease. You’ll see how conditions like iron deficiency anemia or vitamin B deficiencies often show up alongside liver damage. And you’ll find real-world advice on managing symptoms, avoiding triggers, and working with your doctor to stay ahead of complications.