Office Hours: What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Drinking for 30 Days

The Dr. Hyman Show

Dr. Mark Hyman

Health & Fitness, Medicine, Nutrition

4.6 • 8.7K Ratings

🗓️ 5 January 2026

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Most of us don’t realize how much alcohol affects our bodies until we take a break. In this first episode of Office Hours, I break down what really happens when you give up alcohol for 30 days. Alcohol impacts nearly every system—from your brain and hormones to your gut, liver, and immune system—but the good news is your body begins repairing itself far faster than most people expect. I discuss: • What alcohol really is—and why the “buzz” is actually your brain slowing down • How alcohol affects neurotransmitters like GABA, dopamine, and glutamate • Why even moderate drinking disrupts sleep, mood, hormones, and metabolism • How alcohol impacts the liver, gut microbiome, immune system, and cancer risk • Why hangovers feel like the flu—and what’s actually happening in your body • What happens when you stop drinking, week by week, from detox to deep repair • The surprising benefits to energy, focus, skin, sleep, and emotional resilience • Practical tools to manage cravings, social pressure, and sleep disruption • Why community support makes behavior change easier and more sustainable Your body has an incredible ability to heal and often, it just needs you to take your foot off the gas. Try it for 30 days. You may be amazed by how different you feel. If you want extra support, join us for the Hive January Challenge, where we’ll guide you through the process, track progress, and share experiences together. Visit functionhealth.com for 160+ lab tests at just $365 a year. Helpful Resources: Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Health https://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Results https://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive Have a question you’d love answered on the podcast? Submit it here 👉 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdNF2y4lFWEOMLlzVNlFDpJ4xl7oOpH9NlImMoHr5mHggL_Ww/viewform?usp=header (0:12) Introduction and the power of personal health agency (0:51) Joining the Hyman Hive community and dry January benefits (2:07) Understanding the broad effects of alcohol on health (7:27) Long-term health consequences of alcohol use (13:13) Alcohol's link to hangovers and cancer risk (15:31) The positive changes from abstaining alcohol (17:13) Emphasizing mindful alcohol consumption and community support (18:45) Conclusion and invitation for listener feedback

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to office hours. This is our dedicated one-on-one space to go deeper, get clear, and explore what truly moves the needle for your health.
0:19.4	I'm Dr. Mark Hyman, and each week we're going to pull back the curtain and share the insights, the research, the lessons that don't always make it into our conversations with guests. Because at the end of the day, you are the CEO of your own health. And for many of you, your family's health too. And you might not feel it all the time, but you have far more power in agency than you realize. I'm glad you're
0:38.2	here. This episode is brought to you by Function Health, empowering you to live 100 healthy years
0:45.6	with over 160 lab tests at just $365 a year. Sign up today at functionhealth.com slash mark
0:52.3	and use code Mark 2026 to get $50 towards your membership.
0:57.0	What if just 30 days could completely change how you feel, your sleep, your focus, your energy,
1:01.6	even your skin? Well, that's what thousands of people discover during dry January. Now, today I'm
1:07.0	breaking down exactly what happens in your body when you give up alcohol for a month and why the benefits go far beyond your liver. We're going to take you through the process week by week and equip you with tools to help you get through the month alcohol-free. Yeah, it's not as hard as sounds. Don't worry. Now, if you want an extra support, this is exactly what we're focusing on inside the Hyman High this month,
1:28.5	my exclusive membership community. We're taking on the 30-day dry January challenge together.
1:33.8	Whether you're looking to cut back or take a full break from alcohol, we'll meet you where you are
1:38.3	and help you build habits that truly last. Now, with the support of like-minded people and the
1:44.0	community, you're going to make
1:44.8	real sustainable change so you can feel firsthand all the benefits that we're talking about.
1:49.9	Now, dry January has become a global movement, a reset after the holidays, but it's not just a trend.
1:54.9	It's a powerful way to see in real time how alcohol affects nearly every system of your body
2:00.5	and how quickly those systems can recover.
2:03.7	The perfect way to set the tone for a healthier, happier, 2026.
2:08.3	All right, so we also know why we drink, right, to feel good, feel a little happy, to feel a little loose, social lubricant, blah, blah, blah, blah.
2:14.7	But what exactly is the buzz we feel when we drink?
2:19.1	Why does alcohol seem to make social situations so much easier and more relaxed? Well, let's first define what alcohol
2:23.9	is and why it actually gives you that bugs. The active ingredient in alcohol is something called
2:29.0	ethanol. That's the chemical name for alcohol, essentially. Now, if you want to get a little
	...

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