Should you do Dry January? Experts weigh in

January is a popular time to reflect on health goals and habits. After the holiday season’s many opportunities for celebratory drinks and toasts to the New Year, this may include assessing your relationship with alcohol.

One popular way to do so is by participating in Dry January. This is a challenge to go the entire month without drinking alcohol.

Alcohol is linked to a variety of health concerns, including increased risk for some cancers. So, is going without alcohol for a month a good way to jump-start your resolutions? And is one month enough time to see a difference? To find out, we spoke with two experts: Maher Karam-Hage, M.D., a psychiatrist who specializes in addictions, and Kaylie Brown, a clinical dietitian.

What are the benefits of not drinking?

Drinking alcohol can affect everything from your mental state to your gut microbiome to your cancer risk. Here’s how going alcohol-free may impact your health.

Decreased risk of certain cancers

Drinking alcohol increases the risk for cancers including:

• Oral cancer
• Throat cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Liver cancer
• Breast cancer

That’s why MD Anderson’s official guidance is that for cancer prevention, it is best not to drink alcohol. While no alcohol is best, women who choose to drink should limit themselves to one drink per day, while men who choose to drink should limit themselves to two drinks per day.

But can cutting out alcohol for a month reduce your cancer risk? Karam-Hage supposes there are minimal risk reduction benefits, but says he isn’t sure these are clinically significant unless they lead to “permanent reduction or abstinence” of alcohol.

It cuts empty calories

“Alcohol is considered an ‘empty calorie’, meaning that it provides minimal nutritional value,” Brown says. “These empty calories do not supply sufficient vitamins, could slow your goals of building muscle or interfere with a long-term sense of fullness.”

While our bodies can still use these calories for energy, unused calories are stored as fat, Brown says. That’s why it is important to understand how many calories your body needs.

“If calories are consumed in excess, it can ultimately lead to weight gain,” Brown says. “When reducing or eliminating excess calories, you may notice changes in your weight as well."

Liver regeneration

Participating in Dry January allows the body to heal and the liver to regenerate, Karam-Hage says.

 “Usually, within 30 days, the liver can regenerate, or reproduce, cells that had been injured or died,” he says, noting that factors including genetics and health status determine how quickly the liver regenerates.

While Dry January may benefit your liver health, your long-term relationship to alcohol is also really important. Repeated damage to the liver, such as that caused by drinking alcohol, can result in cirrhosis, Karam-Hage says. Cirrhosis is a buildup of scar tissue on the liver. It isn’t reversible and can put you at increased risk for cancers such as liver cancer (also called hepatocellular carcinoma).

“When you continue to injure your liver by continuing to drink alcohol, fibers form and the liver cannot regenerate,” he says.

Gut microbiome repair

Heavy alcohol use can affect the gut microbiome by upsetting the balance of gut bacteria. This can lead to toxic metabolites when breaking down alcohol and leaky gut, researcher Carrie Daniel-MacDougall, Ph.D., explains.

RELATED: Learn how alcohol affects the microbiome

Fortunately, changing your habits can help rebuild a healthy microbiome, although Daniel-MacDougall notes it sometimes takes longer to repair damage to the gut microbiome than it does to cause it.

Better sleep

Reducing or eliminating alcohol can lead to better sleep, Brown notes.

Alcohol use can cause rebound insomnia – that is, waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep. This is caused by decreasing alcohol levels in your body after the initial sedation that alcohol induces, Karam-Hage says.

Alcohol use can also affect deep sleep, he adds. This means alcohol's impact on sleep can have long-term impacts, even extending to premature aging.

“Alcohol suppresses stages 3 and 4 of sleep, which is the restorative sleep for the muscles and other parts of the brain and body. During these stages, growth hormone gets excreted at different levels depending on your age. Growth hormone has been used as an anti-aging hormone, so a lack of it can cause faster aging,” he explains.

Improved mental clarity

Cutting back on alcohol can improve your mental clarity, Brown says.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism writes that alcohol interferes with communication pathways in the brain. This can impact functions including memory and judgment.

Is it safe to stop drinking cold turkey?

If you’re considering Dry January, you may be wondering whether it is safe to stop drinking all at once, or “cold turkey,” or if it’s better to take a gradual approach. The answer depends on your current relationship with alcohol.

According to Karam-Hage, it is safe to stop drinking cold turkey if you are:

• A woman of any age or a man age 55 or older who drinks seven drinks or fewer per week
• A man under age 55 who drinks 14 drinks or fewer per week

If you drink more than that, however, he recommends cutting down your alcohol intake gradually to avoid alcohol withdrawal. In severe cases, alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous or deadly as it can induce seizures or a state of delirium.

The National Library of Medicine writes that common alcohol withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, depression, fatigue, irritability, shakiness, mood swings, nightmares and not thinking clearly.

To determine what’s best for you, talk with your doctor, Brown says. A professional can help you assess your alcohol use and create a plan for cutting back safely.

“Based on use and other medical conditions, cutting alcohol cold turkey can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening for some individuals,” she says.

So, do experts recommend Dry January?

While both experts agree that drinking less alcohol has health benefits, Karam-Hage and Brown have different thoughts on Dry January.

Karam-Hage recommends participating due to the health benefits and liver regeneration it offers. Additionally, not drinking alcohol for a month may help reset your relationship with alcohol. Data has shown that people who resume drinking after Dry January drink less than they did before, Karam-Hage says.

However, Brown notes that Dry January may have downsides.

“Although Dry January could create a healthier lifestyle and a better relationship with alcohol, it could also create drawbacks like cravings from restriction or overindulgence after January. For these reasons, I would not particularly recommend Dry January,” she says.

Instead of focusing on a month-long challenge, Brown encourages a long-term approach to drinking less.

“Reducing your alcohol consumption can benefit your general health and well-being,” she says.

Tips for reducing alcohol intake

Whether or not you choose to participate in Dry January, here are some tips Brown recommends for reducing alcohol consumption.

Make alcohol less accessible

It can be challenging to avoid the temptation to have a drink when you are constantly walking past the bar cart in your living room or seeing a chilled bottle of wine whenever you open your fridge. That’s why Brown recommends making alcohol less accessible by removing alcoholic products from your home.

Find non-alcoholic beverage alternatives

Not drinking alcohol doesn’t have to mean not drinking anything special. Brown recommends choosing flavorful options that don’t have high levels of added sugar. Examples include:

• Infused or sparkling water
• Smoothies
• Juice
• Sports drinks
• Decaf coffee or tea

Plan ahead

Planning meals, making a grocery list and reviewing your plans can help you anticipate and avoid situations when you might be tempted to drink. 

Staying busy can also help. This might look like picking up a new hobby or going for a walk, Brown says.

Eat a well-balanced diet

Eating a balanced diet can help you curb cravings and avoid feeling hungry, Brown says.

For cancer care and prevention, MD Anderson dietitians generally recommend eating meals rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds. However, your nutritional needs may vary, especially if you are in cancer treatment. Each MD Anderson patient has access to a registered dietitian they can reach out to with questions or concerns.

Get enough sleep

Did you know sleep can impact your diet?

An appropriate sleep schedule can help you establish a consistent eating pattern, which can reduce cravings, Brown says.

“When tired, these cravings may be difficult to manage and could lead to binge eating,” she adds.

What to know if you are struggling to reduce your alcohol intake

Like many health topics, not drinking sounds much easier on paper – or blog post – than it can feel in practice. Struggling to drink less may indicate alcohol physiological, or physical, dependence, Karam-Hage says.

In this case, Karam-Hage and Brown both recommend speaking to a doctor or health care professional for support.

If you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol use or another substance use disorder, help is available. Call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or visit their website to find resources and support in your area.

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.