Because the liver is in a constant state of regeneration, in many cases the healing process can begin within just weeks after foregoing alcohol. This happens when the liver enlarges already existing healthy cells, and new cells begin to form in the area that has sustained damage or injury.
The bottom line
Just like a broken bone or infection needs time to heal, so does an overworked liver. While this depends on the amount of alcohol you have had over the years, your liver can see partial healing within two to three weeks, but this will depend on your health history.
Alcohol does not work the same on everyone, but many health experts say it takes around 6 to 12 months after drinking to know if the liver can repair itself. Clinical research suggests that the liver is the only organ in the body able to regenerate and replace damaged tissue.
After two weeks off alcohol, you will continue to reap the benefits of better sleep and hydration. As alcohol is an irritant to the stomach lining, after a fortnight you will also see a reduction in symptoms such as reflux where the stomach acid burns your throat.
The liver can develop new cells, but prolonged alcohol misuse (drinking too much) over many years can reduce its ability to regenerate.
5 Weeks Without Alcohol
Your skin will improve. Drinking causes dehydration due to alcohol binding to your body's protein that helps reabsorb water back into the body. This means you urinate excess water while you're drinking, which typically would have been retained by your body to stay hydrated.
More energy
Following a better, more restful night's sleep, you're certain to feel more energetic through the day. You'll also be much less irritable and could perhaps wake up feeling much stronger and refreshed than you're used to.
Overall benefits of three weeks without alcohol
Weight loss. Clear skin. More energy. Improved gym performance.
What do you mean by heavy drinking? For men, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 15 drinks or more per week. For women, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 8 drinks or more per week.
Once alcoholic cirrhosis develops it cannot be reversed, but it can be treated. Above all else, effective treatment depends on complete abstinence. If you continue drinking in any capacity the symptoms associated with liver damage will only continue to get worse.
However, by day 4 without alcohol, most people will have got beyond any initial withdrawal symptoms. All the alcohol will have left your system by now, and your body will begin to bounce back. If you're not as focused on alcohol, you may be eating better, drinking water, moving more, and perhaps sleeping more deeply.
Generally, symptoms of alcoholic liver disease include abdominal pain and tenderness, dry mouth and increased thirst, fatigue, jaundice (which is yellowing of the skin), loss of appetite, and nausea. Your skin may look abnormally dark or light. Your feet or hands may look red.
According to Alcohol Change UK, who spearheaded the Dry January challenge, giving up alcohol this month will help you sleep better and have more energy, improve your mental health and concentration, give you brighter skin, help you save money and feel an amazing sense of achievement.
Research has also shown that taking a month-long break from alcohol can be good for the liver. For a successful break from alcohol, as with dieting, it's important to have a plan in place for when the allotted break time ends.
Depending on how much you drank, your starting weight, your age, and how you've treated diet and exercise since you stopped drinking, it's not uncommon to lose anywhere between 6-15 pounds after a month without alcohol.
I tried 21 days no alcohol: would it improve my liver health? Giving up your favourite tipple for just over four weeks of the year can reportedly aid weight loss, decrease blood pressure, and reduce the risk of diabetes. On top of that, it'll supposedly give you a healthy glow, shiny eyes and a new lease of life.
For one, I am physically renewed with a new sense of normal, one gloriously free from hangovers. I wake up most days by 6:30 a.m. and meditate. Often, I will do some yoga or stretching before work. Mornings are quiet and calm, and I move through them with a grateful mind.
Symptoms/outcomes you may see
Onset of withdrawal symptoms which may include hand tremors, retching, excessive sweating, restlessness and anxiety. Withdrawal symptoms continue. Alcohol cravings, reduced energy and feeling low or depressed are common. Sleep is likely to be disturbed.
If you stop drinking completely, one of the first things you notice should be improved energy levels, better sleep and finding it easier to wake up in the morning. Regular drinking can affect the quality of your sleep making you feel tired and sluggish during the day.
After One Year: Congrats on making it to 12 months! At this point, your risk of developing all types of disease will be reduced and your bone density will start to increase.5 Keep in mind that everyone is different and will experience different things when they stop drinking.
I noticed some other incredible health benefits like weight loss, decreased heart rate, better emotional well-being, and general less stress and fatigue. It's interesting, too, that all these minute ailments (sore shoulders, pained knees, aching back) started to feel better.