Dr. Rajiv Jalan, a liver specialist at the Institute for Liver and Digestive Health at University College London, analyzed the findings. They revealed that liver fat, a precursor to liver damage, for all of those in the study who gave up drinking fell by at least 15 percent, and almost 20 percent for some. Abstainers also saw their blood glucose levels — a key factor in determining diabetes risk — fall by an average of 16 percent. It's the first study to show such an immediate drop from going dry, says Dr. James Ferguson, a liver specialist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in England, who was not involved in the experiment. Overall, Ferguson says, the evidence is convincing but not all that surprising. "If you take time off from alcohol, it's going to be beneficial for your liver from the reduction of fat," he tells The Salt. "People always forget the amount of calories in alcohol, so if you take a month off, and you usually consume 20 units, you're going to lose weight and fat. It's a massive reduction in calories. " - www.npr.org