6 months with no alcohol: liver improvements?
We all know that alcohol can have a damaging impact on our health and wellbeing. Long-term drinking can put you at risk of liver disease and damage. So, what kind of change can 6 months of sobriety have?
For many people, a trip to the local pub or bar is a regular social occasion. A tall, crisp, cool pint of lager to be enjoyed while catching up with friends after work can be a highlight of the week.
However, because alcohol can be such a central part of our social lives, some people might not realise how much they’re actually drinking. This might also mean they don’t realise how much damage they might be doing to their bodies – especially their livers.
Important note: At Zero Point Beer, we’re not anti-alcohol. We’re pro-moderation. We’re celebrating the emergence of low alcohol and no alcohol beer as a way to enjoy our favourite drinks with fewer negative impacts on the mind and body. You can read our alcohol-free beer reviews here. Cheers! 🍻
Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to a wide variety of health issues. These can range from weight gain and high blood pressure, to strokes, some forms of cancer, and liver diseases. If you’re worried about any of these, then you might be thinking about cutting back on your alcohol consumption, perhaps with a period of sobriety.
In this article, we’re going to explore the different ways your body might react if you decide to temporarily give-up alcohol for 6 months. We’re also going to look at how changing your usual drink order to a non-alcoholic beer might help as part of this journey.
If you’re concerned about the effect of your alcohol consumption on your health and well-being, then it’s essential that you consult a medical professional for expert advice. There are plenty of services out there for people looking to move away from alcohol.
Making a change: No-alcohol or low-alcohol?
The last time you were at the bar or the supermarket, you might have noticed a few more non-alcoholic options available than last time. Low-alcohol alternatives to your favourite beers are becoming more and more common, with both mainstream and craft brewers looking to get in on the action.
There’s no doubt about it: these drinks provide a healthier alternative to your usual alcoholic drink. There’s less alcohol (or none at all), fewer calories, and a reduced risk to your liver. They can also help if you’re feeling the pressure to drink in a social situation, or if you’re looking for a way to gradually reduce your alcohol intake. This means that if you’re looking to reduce your alcohol intake, then these can be a useful option to have available.
However, as we’ve noted before, many of these drinks aren’t actually completely free of alcohol. If you’re in the US, then a drink only has to have an ABV (Alcohol blood volume) of 0.5% to be non-alcoholic. They can also be higher in sugar than standard beers, so this is something else to consider.
In other words, if you’re looking to cut out alcohol completely – perhaps if you’re pregnant or attempting to overcome alcohol addiction, for example – then these alternatives may not be the best option for you.
What does alcohol do to your liver?
The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body? It plays a vital role in the body’s metabolic function (the various chemical reactions that take place inside us every day).
In fact, one of its primary jobs is to metabolise (or neutralise) harmful substances in the body. While it's working on the frontline to keep us healthy, one of the more common harmful substances that the liver might have to deal with is alcohol. Normally, the liver’s job is to break down alcohol that you consume, removing the toxins and converting it into waste.
Normally, the liver is a very resilient organ. This is especially useful for those of us that enjoy a casual drink from time to time. Every time we drink alcohol, the process of removing toxins from the blood results in some of the liver cells dying. Fortunately, the liver can normally develop new cells.
However, sustained heavy drinking over time (alcohol abuse), can take a heavy toll on the liver’s ability to regenerate. This means that damage to the liver can become permanent. This can become Alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), which typically has three stages:
Alcoholic fatty liver disease. The first stage of alcoholic liver disease is caused by the buildup of fatty acids in the liver and it is caused by the organ being over-worked and unable to process these chemicals (i.e. because of high alcohol consumption).
There’s rarely any obvious symptoms with fatty liver disease, so if you’re concerned then you should contact your doctor for professional medical guidance.
Fortunately, fatty liver disease is also a reversible condition. Taking a break from alcohol consumption should help restore your liver to a healthier condition.
Alcoholic hepatitis. A second stage of alcoholic liver disease is called Alcoholic hepatitis. Although it’s not related to the other kind of hepatitis (the one you might be vaccinated against on holiday), it’s still a potentially serious condition.
It can be caused by alcohol misuse over a longer period of time. It can sometimes be the first time a person becomes aware of the damage their drinking habits may be doing to their liver. It’s not just regular heavy drinkers that are at risk. You should also be aware that alcoholic hepatitis can be caused by drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time. This is known as binge drinking.
Although the damage to your liver associated with alcoholic hepatitis can be reversed, it is a serious and life-threatening disease. Often, the surest way to reverse the damage is to permanently give up drinking alcohol.
Cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is the final stage of ARLD. This is when a person’s liver has become significantly scarred by excessive alcohol consumption; it’s often irreversible. However, as for Alcoholic hepatitis, the main and most effective treatment for patients is to stop drinking – ideally, permanently. Doing so can help minimise the chance of any further damage to your liver.
Remember: If you’re concerned about your health and the impact of your alcohol consumption, then seek the advice of your doctor or physician. They’ll be able to provide specialised, tailored help. They may also be able to direct you to support groups in your local area.
What happens when you quit alcohol for 6 months? (for your liver)
If you are concerned about the impact of drinking alcohol on your health and body, you might want to consider sticking to the recommended limits.
For both men and women, the recommended weekly limit is 14 units. This is roughly the same as 6 pints of average beer a week (a unit is around about half a pint). These limits can also help heavy drinkers.
However, one of the surest ways of reversing any damage done to your liver is to stop drinking alcohol. This decision does not need to be permanent, but taking a longer break from drinking alcohol can have a tremendous impact.
For some, giving up alcoholic drinks won’t be too challenging, whereas for others if can be a really difficult decision to stick to.
What’s really helpful is that if you decide to take back some control over your health and wellbeing this way, you’ll start to notice the positive changes little by little. Day-by-day, week-by-week, giving up alcohol for 6 months can have some surprising changes.
Day One
The first day has the potential to be the most difficult. But it’s also perhaps the most important – if you can make it through this one, then you can make it through the rest!
Already, after just 24 hours without an alcoholic drink, your liver is likely to have started its recovery process. Any liver damage you have sustained will take time to heal properly, but every positive change has to begin somewhere.
Other health changes at this stage are probably invisible, but still important. If you’ve got a relatively healthy diet, then in most cases your blood sugars will probably start to normalise. Remember, there’s a lot of carbohydrates (i.e. sugars) in beers. As time goes on, you will probably notice how much of an effect alcohol had on your relationship with food and your overall diet.
Week One
By the end of the first week without any alcoholic drinks, you should start to feel the effects of your healthier choice.
The most obvious one is you should be waking up feeling more refreshed. Cutting alcohol consumption can be a great way to get a better night’s sleep. Although alcohol can help some people fall asleep quicker (it’s a depressant, after all), it inhibits the REM stage of sleep. With better sleep, you’ll probably start to feel an improvement in your mental health.
It's after about a week that other more visible changes start to become apparent. For one thing, you might find that the condition of your skin has got better. Reducing your alcohol intake can help your skin stay more hydrated. If you were showing symptoms of conditions such as eczema or dandruff, these may be starting to improve by this stage – just by cutting out the booze!
Within a week, you might also start to notice a slightly healthier bank balance too. If you’re not popping to the shop or heading out to the bar to pick up a pint, then you’re likely to be saving yourself a few extra quid.
It’s important to note that if you have made the decision to suddenly give up alcohol, then you may start to notice some withdrawl symptoms. These do not need to be anything to worry about, but they can be unpleasant. It’s always worth contacting your doctor if you notice these symptoms or you have any other concerns. Their advice and support might be just what you need to make this a lasting change.
Month One
A month is an important milestone when it comes to giving up alcohol. If you can make it this far, it’s much more likely that – if you wanted – the change to sobriety could become a long-term lifestyle choice.
The first month is an important stage in setting new behaviours that should help you stay on track. This might mean that you’ve explored alcohol-free beers and found an alternative that suits your tastes.
By this time, you should be starting to enjoy the benefits of some important health benefits – whether you can see them or not.
Within a month, your liver should be well on its way back to normal functioning. When you don’t drink, it means your liver can focus on its other important roles in your health. Your risk of cirrhosis and fatty liver disease will also be reduced.
Your other vital organs are also likely to be healthier as well. Your risk of heart disease will have reduced, partly thanks to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. As well as your liver, your kidneys should be healthier.
Looking at yourself in the mirror, you should be seeing the continued benefits of your healthier choice too. Your skin will be looking fresher and more hydrated for one, and the better sleep should also be having a positive impact.
Month Three
By month three of your 6-month journey into giving-up alcohol, you may start to look and feel healthier.
Alcoholic drinks – especially beers and lagers – tend to be relatively high in calories. They can also spike our appetites when we drink, which might cause us to make bad food choices.
If you’ve managed to go alcohol-free for 3 months, you may be starting to notice the difference around your waistline as you lose weight. It’s a good job you’re saving money by not drinking if your wardrobe needs updating too! Because you’re feeling better overall with more sleep and fewer hangovers, you may also find it easier to stick to other lifestyle changes, like a healthier diet and regular exercise.
Inside, your body’s healing process will be continuing. For one thing, your liver will be continuing to recover. In fact, for occasional and moderate drinkers, around 30 days is usually enough time for the liver to have made good progress toward healing. Heavier drinkers will need longer, but after 30 days they’ll be moving in the right direction.
By now, you’ll also have helped reduce your risk of cancers. Alcohol is a known carcinogen (a cancer-causing substance), and it has been linked to all sorts of diseases – not just liver cancer.
Month Six
Whether your sobriety journey was a permanent change or an attempt to get your physical and mental health back on track, by month six it’s safe to say you’ll have made excellent progress.
Inside, your liver will have made big strides toward returning to functioning in a healthier way. If you were concerned about the damage alcohol was doing to your liver too, then by this point you’ll likely have given this important organ the time to begin to repair itself.
Your overall health is likely to have improved too, with weight loss, a lower risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. If you’ve given up beer (or made the switch to no-alcohol alternatives), you’ll be ingesting less calories and carbohydrates, helping balance your blood sugar levels and lowering your risk of diabetes. Your immune system will potentially have been given a solid boost as well. You may also find that your moods are better without the influence of alcohol.
Of course, making big changes to your lifestyle is never easy, even if it’s just in the short-term. This can be made even worse because alcohol can be addictive. If you’re worried about your relationship with alcohol, there are services you can contact, and we would encourage you to get in touch with your physician to find out the best course of action.
