Alcohol-free Days Needed to Protect Liver

Drinkers should have three days a week off alcohol to avoid slipping into a cycle of binge drinking and risking liver disease, warn doctors. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) claimed the Government's current policy on healthy drinking limits is misleading, as it implies that it is safe for people to have alcohol every day of the week.

Official guidance on sensible drinking suggests that men should have no more than 21 units of alcohol a week, while women are restricted to 14 units.

But experts at the RCP said the policy does not take account of the fact that drinkers should have two to three days a week without any alcohol to let their bodies recover.

The doctors warned drinking alcohol every day causes a "significant health risk" increasing the chances of developing liver disease and other life-threatening illnesses.

"People should have two to three alcohol-free days every week to reduce the risks of long term damage from binge drinking, including liver disease," the Telegraph quoted a spokesman for the RCP as saying.

"After a day of drinking there is a need for a time to recover and that is why we need rest days in between our alcohol consumption," he added.

Younger drinkers are particularly at risk, the physicians warned, with daily drinking also common among middle-class women who often have a glass of wine after work.

As well as urging people to restrict their drinking to four days a week, the doctors recommend introducing lower limits for elderly people, as their bodies are more likely to suffer lasting effects from alcohol.

Source-ANI