Siim Land: What Quitting Alcohol Did to My Body
For the past decade, I’ve chosen to abstain from alcohol, and I can confidently say that this decision has been one of the best I've ever made for my health and longevity. At the time, I was around 20 years old, and my liver’s biological age, as shown by the Symphony Age organ test, is now only nine. This change has had a profound impact on my life, and I hope my experience can inspire others to make similar choices, or at least gain insight into how alcohol might be affecting their health.
Why I Stopped Drinking Alcohol
The primary reason I stopped consuming alcohol was its negative effect on my fitness and exercise performance. I noticed that even small amounts of alcohol, especially on weekends, hindered my progress or kept me in a plateau. While it is possible to drink in moderation and still see benefits, I came to the realization that alcohol offered no significant health benefits and was not aiding in achieving my fitness goals. Hangovers, in particular, felt like a waste of time, taking away from the energy and focus I could have spent on my physical well-being. Additionally, I didn’t feel the need for alcohol to have fun or to socialize, which led me to quit drinking altogether.
The Benefits I Experienced After Stopping Alcohol
After making the decision to quit, I immediately noticed a few positive changes in my body and mind. First, staying lean and building muscle became much easier. Alcohol contains empty calories, and binge drinking can easily lead to weight gain. Alcohol is particularly harmful to your visceral fat and liver health. Even consuming one to two drinks a night can increase visceral fat, which can remain higher than optimal levels despite being physically active and maintaining a normal body weight. Since quitting, my visceral fat is the lowest I’ve ever seen, and I attribute part of this to no longer drinking alcohol. Normal visceral fat should ideally be below 500g, and I’m now well under that threshold.
Another noticeable improvement has been my skin health. While I never experienced severe skin issues, I did notice a marked difference in my complexion after stopping alcohol. Regular alcohol consumption can cause pimples and make your skin dry, contributing to the appearance of wrinkles and a prematurely aged look. Since quitting, my skin looks much healthier, and I feel more confident in my appearance.
Mentally, I also experienced a boost in clarity and productivity. I am highly productive, writing on average 1.5 books per year, which are comprehensive works with hundreds of pages and thousands of references. Although my productivity isn’t solely due to abstaining from alcohol, it certainly helps maintain mental sharpness. I don't want anything, especially alcohol, to hinder my focus or productivity. Most people can probably enjoy a few drinks without significantly impacting their health or productivity, but I prefer not to take that risk.
What Does the Research Say About Alcohol Consumption?
While I’ve shared my personal experience, you might wonder about the broader scientific understanding of alcohol’s impact on health. There is a common belief that moderate alcohol consumption is healthier than complete abstention. Some studies show that those who never drink alcohol have a 9% higher risk of death compared to people who consume one to three drinks per week. However, these results are often influenced by factors like socioeconomic status and the healthy user bias. Wealthier individuals tend to drink in moderation and also generally have better health, making these statistics somewhat skewed.
On the other hand, analyses that control for these factors reveal that regular alcohol consumption is not linked to lower mortality risk. This means that if you are otherwise healthy, choosing to abstain from alcohol does not appear to increase your risk of death. In fact, a 2018 study of 592 prospective and retrospective studies across 195 regions found that any level of alcohol consumption increases health risks. The level of consumption that minimizes health loss is, in fact, zero.
That said, you might still be able to drink a few drinks a week without significantly affecting your health. If you consume alcohol on a daily basis, even one to two drinks could become a risk, as it could add up to more than seven drinks per week. Ideally, you should monitor your health markers, such as liver enzymes, inflammation levels, kidney markers, triglycerides, and visceral fat, to assess how alcohol consumption is affecting you personally.
What About Drinking Occasionally?
If you occasionally consume alcohol, some options are healthier than others. Red and white wines are generally the healthiest alcohols to drink because they are lower in sugar and contain beneficial polyphenolic compounds that can help protect your liver. A maximum of one to two glasses of wine is the ideal limit. On the other hand, beer and ciders tend to be high in calories and offer little nutritional value. While you do get some B vitamins and ferulic acid from beer, you can get these from other sources, such as sourdough bread.
Stronger spirits like vodka, gin, or tequila are preferable to beer and cider due to their lower sugar content. However, they also have a higher ethanol concentration, which can lead to faster intoxication, so it's best to limit yourself to one shot. The worst offenders are cocktails like margaritas, mojitos, and mai tais, which are high in both sugar and calories. They are easy to drink, and because they taste sweet, you can end up consuming more than you intend to.
Supplements to Mitigate Alcohol’s Damage
If you do choose to drink, there are some supplements that can help protect your liver and mitigate the damage caused by alcohol. Glycine and NAC (N-acetylcysteine) are particularly useful, as they help increase glutathione, which aids in detoxifying alcohol. These supplements can help support liver function and minimize some of the negative effects of alcohol consumption.
In conclusion, while I’ve personally chosen to quit drinking alcohol, I understand that many people enjoy it in moderation. For those who do drink, it’s important to be mindful of how alcohol affects your body and health. Regular monitoring of key health markers and making informed choices about the type and amount of alcohol you consume can help you maintain your well-being. Alcohol, when consumed in moderation, may not be detrimental, but if you aim for longevity and optimal health, it’s worth considering the benefits of cutting back or even abstaining altogether.