Drinkers should take a month off alcohol to prevent serious illness in later life, doctors warned yesterday. They cited dramatic British research showing how abstention can heal the liver and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Patients who gave up for four weeks were also at lower risk of developing cancer and type 2 diabetes. The study is the second at the Royal Free hospital to uncover the huge benefits of staying off booze. ‘The results were staggering,’ said Professor Kevin Moore, who was involved in both experiments. ‘If you had a drug that did this it would be a multi-billion pound market. In the second, larger study the London researchers looked at 102 relatively healthy men and women in their forties taking part in a ‘dry January’ campaign. The women had been drinking an average of 29 units of alcohol a week, almost double the Government guidelines. The men were typically on 31 units, ten too many. All had blood tests and liver scans and answered detailed questionnaires.
