You may have woken up January 1, 2026 with the realization of “oh my” I need to make some changes. Cue dry January. I know it is the middle of January but alcohol consumption is something that needs to be addressed. Besides, there is nothing magical about January as you can pick 4 weeks at any time.
Dry January started in the UK in 2013 initially with about 4000 participants. It has grown into unofficially millions of people abstaining from alcohol for 4 weeks. Is 4 weeks enough time to see significant health benefits? Are there longer lasting benefits? The surprising answer is YES, even in just 4 weeks. You will also be surprised how the cortisol system ties into alcohol consumption.
First, let’s define alcohol use. I hear so many people who are drinking 2-3 drinks a night say “I can stop anytime I want so I don’t have a problem”. And they can. But they don’t or if they do, they only do it for a week. The current definition of alcohol use does vary a bit but in general the following parameters are considered:
Moderate drinker:
Men: consume 2 drinks a day
Women: consume 1 drink a day
Heavy drinker:
Men: exceeding the 2 drinks per day but specific levels are 5 or more drinks or 15 per week
Women: exceeding the 1 drink per day but specific levels are 4 or more drinks/day or 8 per week
Binge drinking: 4+ for women or 5+ for men in about 2 hours
According to the CDC, one standard drink is equivalent to:
- 12 ounces of beer with 5% alcohol.
- 8 ounces of malt liquor with 7% alcohol.
- 5 ounces of wine with 12% alcohol.
- A shot or 1.5 ounces of liquor or distilled spirts (80-proof liquor).
- 80 proof means the liquor has 40% alcohol.
- Brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey are examples of types of liquor.
Please check out the alcohol change website if you wonder if you have an alcohol use disorder. FYI- alcohol change was one of the major instigators of the dry January concept.
Even if you are not doing dry January, if you drink alcohol at all READ ON to learn the benefits of stopping even for only 4 weeks. It might just give you that push you need to cut back in general long after 4 weeks.
READ ON to learn key benefits of abstaining from alcohol for just 4 weeks….
To understand why removing alcohol makes such a difference we have to understand how alcohol impacts the system. Consistent alcohol use causes high cortisol and disrupts the HPA (hypothalamus- pituitary- adrenal) axis. What this means for you is:
- Increased sleep disturbances
- Difficulty losing weight
- Increased insulin resistance
- Increased bone weakness
- Decreased resistance to infection
- High blood pressure
- Major alterations in mood
- Impaired mental functioning
- and more…
The more you drink and the longer you drink the more dysfunction that is persistent. Studies show even after you stop drinking because of these changes creating long lasting effects, it can be harder to continue to be abstinent due to increased levels of anxiety and fear leading back to alcohol consumption or other addictions as a way of dealing with these emotions.
Consistent use increases the stiffness of the liver which is your major detoxification organ eventually causing increased liver enzymes and may end up with liver failure in severe cases. Studies looking at fibrosis of the liver in heavy drinkers show in just 4 weeks of abstinence 80% of participants had an average of 15% reduction in stiffness of the liver and most had weight loss and reduction of liver enzymes.
Another study looking at 4 weeks of abstinence of alcohol, showed 25% improvement in insulin resistance and 7% reduction in systolic blood pressure. In addition, 71% reported dramatic improvement in sleep quality and improved energy. There was also a 42% reduction in VEGF levels and 74% reduction in EGF levels. VEGF and EGF are both important growth factors that help promote the growth of certain cancers so you can see why alcohol use with cancer is important to address.
Impressive results in a short period of time!
Even if you aren’t doing dry January, perhaps jumping on the bandwagon would be a good idea!
To your health,
Laura
