After the New Year hangover, many people want to give up alcohol in January. That means: no beer after work, no glass of wine with dinner. But can the body benefit from it? the star spoke to an alcohol researcher – and got an unequivocal answer.
Prof. Dooley, after New Year’s Eve, many people want to give up alcohol. An alcohol-free January, for example, is popular. Why?
Alcohol is harmful to the body and health. Many people are aware of this. Such a decision is a sign that you believe you have consumed too much alcohol in the past. Otherwise they wouldn’t have to make do without alcohol. So the consciousness is there. All the more, of course, because the Christmas holidays and New Year’s Eve are still very present – days on which one usually looks a little deeper into the glass.
The key question is: does renunciation bring something – or can it be left the same?
The answer here is very clear: every waiver is sensible and important. Alcohol is a poison and stresses the body cells, especially cells of the liver, which are responsible for the metabolism. The liver is the organ that metabolizes and breaks down alcohol. Every single alcohol molecule damages the affected liver cell.
Interview with an expert
Prof. Dr. Steven Dooley works as Professor of Molecular Hepatology at the Medical Faculty Mannheim (University of Heidelberg). Dooley does research on the effects of alcohol on the liver.
Every single molecule?
Yes, exactly. When every single alcohol molecule is broken down, breakdown products are created that put liver cells under stress. If too many molecules arrive at the same time, the liver cell is so badly damaged that it dies. Cell death occurs. This creates a wound that can scar. This can be compared to a cut in the skin. The problem is chronicity. That means: unlike the cut in the skin, the wound-causing influence, for example chronic alcohol abuse, keeps coming and the organ scars over time.
What does this mean in relation to the liver?
The organ can visibly no longer carry out its actual task: build up, break down and excrete metabolic products. Cirrhosis forms, in the worst case acute liver failure threatens. If the liver is already badly damaged, the risk of liver cancer is also increased.
But that certainly only applies to heavy drinkers.
Not exclusively. The liver can also be severely damaged by hepatitis pathogens, toxins, an unhealthy diet or the abuse of medication. Alcoholic cirrhosis is the result of continuous, progressive damage and is most common with regular high-risk alcohol consumption. But also some casual drinkers are particularly at risk, even with moderate consumption.
Why is that?
There are personal risk factors that multiply the harmful effects of alcohol. An example of this is a hepatitis C virus infection. If this is the case, the risk of developing liver cancer after consuming alcohol is increased many times over. Research is currently being carried out on other possible risk factors. These are, for example, inflammatory messengers or a genetic predisposition.
Watch the video as the author Susanne Kaloff talks about her self-experiment: What was it like to live without alcohol for a year?
At least how long should alcohol be avoided for the liver to benefit from it?
There is no general answer to that. I would advise against consuming alcohol continuously for six months and then taking a four-week break, sort of like a cure. Instead, I advise: behave consciously, pay attention to your well-being, stop drinking alcohol for a certain period of time and prove to yourself that you can do it. The requirement to always drink at least the same amount of water when consuming alcohol is also helpful. Otherwise, the rules for moderate consumption apply: Men should not drink more than 20 grams of alcohol per day. That corresponds to about a quarter of a liter of wine or half a liter of beer. For women, half is considered acceptable. You should also stay alcohol-free for at least two to three days a week. However, these guidelines should also be carefully weighed against the risk factors mentioned above. There are constellations where that is already too much, such as a previous hepatitis C burden.
Is it better to do without it than to consume it moderately over a longer period of time?
Yes, in any case.
Even if this waiver is only temporary, say for a few months?
Then it is better than not giving up these few months. That’s out of the question.
Some people report they’d feel better without alcohol. Is that just a placebo?
Certainly not. Those who do without alcohol sleep better and deeper and feel fitter and better recovered. But this only applies to people who are not dependent on alcohol. Addicts can even experience life-threatening side effects if they stop drinking overnight. A doctor should be consulted here.
Alcohol damages the liver, we talked about that before. Where else does alcohol cause harm?
There are around 200 diseases that are alcohol-related. For example, high-percentage alcohol can cause mechanical damage to the surface of the throat and pharynx. Consumed regularly, it increases the risk of cancerous tumors in this area. And of course not to be forgotten are the many hospital stays that can be indirectly attributed to alcohol: car accidents, falls, fights.
How do those affected notice that they are drinking too much alcohol?
Often you only notice it physically when it is too late and the liver has been irreversibly damaged. It can be helpful to critically question your own consumption: How do I see my own drinking behavior? Are friends and family worried? Can I go without alcohol for a long time without having a hard time? There are also questionnaires on the Internet that can facilitate a self-assessment.
Is there such a thing as a healthy glass of wine in the evening?
There is no such thing as a simple reason: alcohol is a poison, and a poison cannot be naturally healthy. Of course, the situation is more complex. A little wine in the evening can also contribute to the quality of life and support well-being. That has nothing to do with everyday escape, but with enjoyment. And that in turn can be good for your health. When we speak of a “healthy glass of wine”, there are two different poles: on the one hand, conscious, beneficial enjoyment, on the other hand, biochemical stress. If you only consider the latter, you have to be very clear: alcohol is toxic.
How do you feel about alcohol yourself?
Every now and then I have a drink with my meal. Or open a bottle of wine on the weekend that my wife and I drink. Spread over the weekend. I largely do without high proofs. For me, the focus is on taste, quality and enjoyment. Not the level.
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