Dry January: What happens to your body during a 30-day alcohol cleanse

After a season of bingeing and drinking, your body may feel like it needs a break from the party.

Dry January — a modern trend that challenges people to abstain from drinking for the first month of the year — has become a popular way to “detox” from the holidays and start the new year on a healthy note.

Research has linked alcohol to a variety of health conditions, ranging from hangovers to higher cancer risk.

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In a recent podcast episode of “The Dr. Mark Hyman Show,” Dr. Mark Hyman, chief medical officer of Function Health, shared how 30 days of not drinking alcohol can transform health.

Hyman, who is based in Massachusetts, called Dry January a “powerful way to see in real time how alcohol affects nearly every system of your body and how quickly those systems can recover.”

Alcohol’s toll on the brain and body

Hyman acknowledged that most people drink to feel happier and more comfortable in social situations. This effect is caused by the main ingredient in alcohol, called ethanol, which can also have toxic effects.

Instead of stimulating the brain, alcohol slows it down and loosens inhibitions. “You feel more relaxed, more social, more confident, maybe you feel a little euphoric,” Hyman said.

Alcohol’s effect on the brain can also lead to poorer decisions and slower reflexes, the doctor cautioned.

Drinking also impacts the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which Hyman described as “the adult in the room,” responsible for judgment, planning and restraint. “It goes offline early in drinking, which explains why people feel freer or act impulsively when they drink,” he said.

Even moderate drinking can cause metabolic stress, inflammation, impaired detoxification and hormonal shifts, Hyman said, which can impact nearly every organ system in the body.

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Alcohol consumption has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer, metabolic dysfunction, gut microbiome disturbances and mitochondrial toxins.

It can also prevent the body from falling into REM sleep, which is the deep rest recovery period when the immune system cleans out the day’s toxins, according to Hyman.

Memory loss, cognitive decline, anxiety, sleep disruption, dementia and cardiovascular disease are all known risks of long-term alcohol use, as well as liver complications like fatty liver disease.

“Bottom line, alcohol taxes every major system in your body, especially your liver, your brain, your gut, your hormones,” Hyman said.

The effects of 30 days with no alcohol

The first week after your last drink, the body begins to detoxify and reset, according to Hyman. Blood sugar and cortisol stress hormones level out, and the liver begins to process a “backlog of toxins.” The body also re-hydrates and re-energizes.

The second week, the gut and brain will begin to re-balance, as hormones like serotonin and dopamine stabilize, gut inflammation drops and the microbiome begins to heal. Cravings for sugar and alcohol will wane and mental clarity returns, the doctor said.

Week three is marked by further decreases in inflammation, fatty liver and blood pressure. This can be noticeable in the skin, as puffiness and redness are reduced. Mood also begins to stabilize, with lower anxiety levels.

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In week four, the body experiences additional metabolic and immune benefits, Hyman shared, including more insulin sensitivity, which makes it easier to lose weight.

“You have a stronger immune response. You’re not getting sick as much. You have better deep sleep, balanced hormones, especially cortisol and testosterone,” he said. “And you see a big change in energy, confidence and focus.”

Dr. Pinchieh Chiang, a clinician at Circle Medical in San Francisco, said that Dry January isn’t a “detox,” but rather provides “feedback” from the body.

“It gives the body time to show people how it feels without alcohol. For many, that insight alone changes their relationship with drinking,” she said. “The biggest surprise isn’t what people give up, it’s how much better they feel.”

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The doctor confirmed that the first few days of not drinking may feel harder than expected, sometimes causing restlessness, cravings or disrupted sleep, but Dry January can ultimately change drinking habits for the remainder of the year.

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After a full year without alcohol, Chiang noted that health improvements are more profound. “We see sustained improvements in blood pressure, liver function and inflammation,” she said. “Those changes directly affect long-term heart disease and stroke risk.”

The risks of ‘all or nothing’

Some experts warn that adopting the Dry January trend could strengthen the urge to drink more in the other months, noting that some drinkers may find more success by slowly consuming fewer drinks per week.

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Thomas Stopka, Ph.D., an epidemiologist and professor in the public health and community medicine department at Tufts University School of Medicine in Massachusetts, shared in a Futurity report that for some people, “damp January” may be more suitable.

“Dry January is well-intentioned, and it may work really well for the people who can stick to it, maybe even beyond January,” he said. “Other people may be more inclined to cut down on alcohol consumption rather than quit drinking completely for the month.”

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Stopka noted that successful harm-reduction approaches “aim to be judgment free.”

“Substance use disorder is a disease,” he said. “It takes time to treat the disease and to stay connected to the continuum of care — from prevention to treatment initiation to sustained therapy, whether through medication, self-help, or individual therapy or group support.”

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Those struggling with signs of alcohol use disorder should consult a medical professional for personalized guidance.

Fox News Digital reached out to several alcohol industry associations requesting comment.