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Free The Animal

Ex Navy Officer. Owner of Businesses. Digital Entrepreneur. Expat Living in Thailand. 5,000 Biting Blog Post on Everything since 2003.

Success Story: Tim Steele (Tatertot)
Thai Massaman Beef Curry “Stew”

Give a Liver a Break

January 2, 2014 24 Comments

I’m in. Anyone else?

Our liver vacation: Is a dry January really worth it?

“DRY January”, for many a welcome period of abstinence after the excesses of the holiday season, could be more than a rest for body and soul. New Scientist staff have generated the first evidence that giving up alcohol for a month might actually be good for you, at least in the short term. […]

The liver plays a role in over 500 processes vital for functions as diverse as digesting food, detoxification and hormone balance. […]

Our project was on a small scale, but Jalan felt it could yield clues as to the effects of short-term abstinence. On 5 October, 14 members of the New Scientist staff – all of whom consider themselves to be “normal” drinkers – went to the Royal Free Hospital in London. We answered questionnaires about our health and drinking habits, then had ultrasound scans to measure the amount of fat on the liver. Finally, we gave blood samples, used to analyse levels of metabolic chemicals linked with the liver and overall health.

For the next five weeks, 10 of us drank no alcohol while four continued as normal. On 9 November, we returned to the hospital to repeat the tests.

“You’re going to be very excited,” said Jalan, when the results were in. […]

Liver fat fell on average by 15 per cent, and by almost 20 per cent in some individuals. […]

Then came another surprise. The blood glucose levels of the abstainers dropped by 23 per cent on average, from 5.1 to 4.3 millimoles per litre. […]

Total blood cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease, dropped by almost 5 per cent, from 4.6 to 4.4 mmol/l. […]

The benefits weren’t just physical. Ratings of sleep quality on a scale from 1 to 5 rose by just over 10 per cent, improving from 3.9 to 4.3. Ratings of how well we could concentrate soared 18 per cent from 3.8 to 4.5. “It represents a significant effect on quality of life and work performance,” says Jalan, although he acknowledges that self-reported experiences are open to bias.

You can check out the charts here.

I think the next line is perhaps representative of that pithy British humor I like so much.

The only negative was that people reported less social contact.

I’ll be taking overnight BG throughout the month.

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VACATION IN MY CABO CONDO


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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Darin January 2, 2014 at 09:22

    Richard – Now you’ve gone too far.

    Reply
  2. Jon January 2, 2014 at 09:26

    I´m in.

    Reply
  3. Barry January 2, 2014 at 09:35

    I’m in, after tomorrow. Was planning to do this anyway, the article provides even more encouragement.

    Reply
  4. EF January 2, 2014 at 09:44

    This is depressing. I’m in. Those liver fat and glucose numbers are too compelling.

    Reply
  5. jim January 2, 2014 at 10:25

    I did it for 12 weeks and felt great! I like my brown liquors but needed to take some time off to get my ass in shape and give the liver a break. I started the RS (Bob’s Red Mill) the last 4 weeks of my “liver break” and felt even better. Dropped an assload of weight and started to see my formerly huge muscles starting to come out from a long hibernation. I have indulged these past two weeks, but the cold weather called for Laphroaig, Basil Hayden’s, and Woodford Reserve Double Oak.

    Reply
  6. Charles Grashow January 2, 2014 at 10:32

    @Richard – do you think that you’re per-diabetic?

    Reply
    • Richard Nikoley January 2, 2014 at 13:15

      Charles

      Possibly. However, I want to see what happens if I clear out the liver (I intend to do a lunch to dinner next day 30 hour fast each of the 4 weeks as well), and consistently up my carb intake with rice, beans and potatoes, as well as supplement with RS the entire time.

  7. Woodchuck Pirate January 2, 2014 at 10:58

    The last alcoholic drink I had was New Years Eve 12 months ago, and I can’t remember if year(s) had passed since time before last.

    My entire drinking history consisted of once per week massive consumption events. Anything short of that I’d consider an abuse of alcohol. When I turned about 50, hangovers became 2 day events. Consequently I’ve lost interest entirely at age 54. My wife will occasionally accept wine when it is offered, and in the 40 years we’ve been together, she has always abused (under-consumed) alcohol. People don’t change.

    I miss the fond memories of being 16 years old bulletproof rolling along country roads ripped smoked and stewed. If I ever stumble upon a time machine discarded by some alien space craft, I’ll revisit the armor of my youth and subject my body to massive amounts of alcohol, knowing full well it’s poison. However, I’m absolutely sure that I won’t report “lack of social contact” as negative. Hell is other people. People don’t change. Perhaps if socialists drank less, denial and criminal behavior might recede? But then, they’d report that phenomenon as “negative”.

    Enjoy 2014. It might be wise to stay sober. Don’t want to slip in the blood, spill the wine while pushing a guillotine uphill.

    Woodchuck Pirate
    aka Raymond J Raupers Jr USA
    http://www.woodchuckpirate.com

    May we live in interesting times.

    Reply
  8. Bernhard January 2, 2014 at 11:53

    Never.
    Ah yeah, well, maybe a little later.
    Peace.

    Reply
  9. pzo January 2, 2014 at 12:13

    I’ve cut down 25% over the last few weeks. So, I’m 25% in.

    Distressing numbers to confront.

    Reply
  10. John January 2, 2014 at 12:15

    I’m in as well. I think it’s also been discussed that alcohol can have a negative effect on gut bugs, and I really wanted to build up the good ones this month, with PS, fermented foods, and some good probiotics.

    Reply
  11. Todd January 2, 2014 at 14:33

    I’ve been thinking about staying on the wagon during the week and allowing some libations on the weekend. I hit the sauce pretty hard during December and it would be nice to bring the 80/20 rule into effect to see what happens.

    Reply
  12. gabriella kadar January 2, 2014 at 17:18

    Next you’ll be inviting people to join you in self-flagellation.

    Reply
  13. The Dude January 2, 2014 at 18:05

    I have 10 really good beers in the fridge and a social engagement tomorrow evening. I’m in after those to obstacles have been overcome.

    Reply
    • GTR January 3, 2014 at 01:18

      @The dude – beer is highly estrogenic (as per “The anti estrogenic diet” by Ori Hofmeclker), and it also has the most toxins of all alcohol as per Bulletproof Diet.

      “Tragically, beer has the most toxins of any common alcoholic beverage…”

      http://www.bulletproofexec.com/alcohol-without-the-hangover-bulletproof-partying-business-networking/

  14. usef January 3, 2014 at 00:03

    How much drinking do they consider “normal”? I couldn’t see anything from a brief skim of the article. The definition of “normal” differs depending on who you normally socialise with. Were they drinking enough to be drunk, or tipsy? How often?

    My drinking consists of the ocassional glass of red with dinner, but never enough to feel the effects. I’m curious if this is still enough to consider abstaining.

    Reply
    • John January 3, 2014 at 06:37

      Might depend on how often your occasions are. If its once a month or less, you’re basically doing what the participants did in the study after every drink. If it’s about once a week, you might notice some benefits. When I’ve gone without alcohol for a month or two, I certainly noticed better sleep and mental clarity.

      Also, “normal” can vary drastically from person to person, but moderate drinking is defined as two drinks per day, up to four in some definitions. People also tend to underreport their alcohol consumption. I’d say it’s safe to assume they were certainly drinking at least on weekends, maybe 7 days a week, and having at least 10 cocktails, likely many more.

  15. gary h January 3, 2014 at 04:52

    I do this every year and feel great after 10-12 days onward .I weekend binge and similar to woodchuck pirate cannot tolerate feeling so crappy for 2 days at a time with hangovers anymore ,but will always enjoy my Real or Craft Ales, I am 55. This year I have built in the 9 day liver detox a la Patrick Holford to start,(not a great fan by the way), this includes no caffeine, dairy, alcohol ,wheat or crappy fats, only olive and coconut oil which are my staple anyway. Have done this once before with good results, (never test just go on how I feel).
    Have been reading all the RS posts and comments on here in the last few days, I must say, this excites me, as much as discovering Paleo/Primal in 2009,which I generally stick to 80-20. I have always missed the legumes and spuds though, always plateaued at the same weight whatever exercise and VLC I have done. I have ordered Bobs Red Mill PS, (not so east to get in UK) and will be experimenting with this as soon as it hits the doormat along with increased legume consumption with proper soaking and cooking. Will post how I get on with my n=1 and to where it leads.
    The research by Tatertot and Richard is phenominal in my view, I take my hat off to you gentlemen.
    Only reservation is from my good wife when I explained to her the possibility of increased fartage!!

    Reply
  16. gabriella kadar January 3, 2014 at 06:29

    A serving of alcohol per day elevates HDL and reduces the risk of CVD.
    Springer link article that opens a popup window of entire article: http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-1-4419-1059-2_16#page-1

    Reply
  17. Ulfric Douglas January 3, 2014 at 12:22

    I’m not in!
    I’m still drinking my Whiskey, and considering it was an Xmas present, good for me.

    Reply
  18. Maxim January 4, 2014 at 08:10

    Just an anecdote.
    I drink very rarely, like once every three or four months. At New Year eve, I have drank a bit of brandy (dunno, 150 ml top) and my bowel movements stopped for two days. I didn’t change anything in my diet, nor pig out, whilst still taking PS. Before that I have been nice and regular like a clock.

    Reply
  19. gabriella kadar January 4, 2014 at 08:30

    Maxim, alcohol relaxes the GI tract. It slows gastric emptying. Possibly because you are not a habitual drinker, the effect was more noticeable.

    Reply
  20. Vinnie January 20, 2014 at 08:28

    I have a finger or two of whisky, either versions, or tequila 2-3 times a week on an empty stomach 60-120 minutes before dinner usually while I’m cooking. If life is busy or I’m in a bad mood, I avoid the stuff. This has been my alcohol protocol for quite some time and I think it’s sensible although I do wonder what affects it has on my gut bugs. Works for me and I’m in my early 40’s, workout occassionally, and not overweight. I am experimenting with RS with PS.

    Reply
    • Woodchuck Pirate January 20, 2014 at 09:24

      The most important observation I have made about alcohol side effects is the correlation to testosterone. As an aging male, I now fully understand what I have learned about decreasing testosterone as a universal determinant of when to stop using alcohol completely. There is no old fool like the one with a drink in his hand, decades under his belt and fewer days left. It is no coincidence that hangovers increase in duration and severity with age correlated with decreasing testosterone level. At any age I’ve always felt the first drink, both during and next day. I’ve observed an equal and opposite effect for each and every drink/drug I’ve used throughout my whole lifetime. I’ve never gotten anything from it that I didn’t pay for in return. This recognition ultimately has resulted in my complete abandoning of artificial tweaking by anything stronger than broccoli. Instead I’ve committed myself to identifying and changing that which makes my lifestyle unacceptable, rather than dull my senses to sustain the dysfunction.

      Woodchuck Pirate
      aka Raymond J Raupers Jr USA
      http://www.woodchuckpirate.com

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I'm Richard Nikoley. Free The Animal began in 2003 and as of 2020, has 5,000 posts and 120,000 comments from readers. I blog what I wish...from lifestyle to philosophy, politics, social antagonism, adventure travel, nomad living, location and time independent—"while you sleep"— income, and food. I intended to travel the world "homeless" but the Covid-19 panic-demic squashed that. I've become an American expat living in rural Thailand where I've built a home. I celebrate the audacity and hubris to live by your own exclusive authority and take your own chances. [Read more...]

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