Podcasts

21. Testing Alcohol use with CDT Testing – Jean Deenmamode

Tribe Sober – Inspiring an Alcohol-free Life!

After running Tribe Sober for 5 years and helping hundreds of people to ditch the drink and embrace alcohol-free living, I’ve learned a thing or two. My biggest insight has been that sharing our stories around alcohol is the most powerful way we can help others – that’s why the heart of this podcast is recovery stories.

We are, however, also interviewing some experts over the next few episodes – we’ve got a doctor, a psychiatrist, a professor, a journalist – and this week we kick off by interviewing Mauritian scientist, Jean Deenmamode, about the CDT test.

In this Episode

Jean takes us through his career development and explains how he first came across CDT testing back in 2008
He explains how the traditional “liver function” that many of us rely on is just not a reliable indicator of whether or not alcohol is harming our health
Alcohol harms many other parts of our bodies, so there is no reason to focus only on the liver – for example, it is linked to 7 different types of cancer
The CDT test is a simple blood test that will show elevated markers if a person has been regularly drinking half a bottle of wine or more
These elevated markers are a clear indication that alcohol is taking its toll on the body and that a change needs to be made
It’s not a test that puts people in a box and calls them an “alcoholic – it’s a lifestyle assessment that can prompt them to change their drinking habits
Seeing the results in black and white (as a number) can make all the difference – and often shocks people into taking action
If people do a CDT test they get an early warning and may be able to adjust their consumption, rather than having to stop drinking completely
If you drink within the low risk limits of one and a half of bottles a week, you are unlikely to be harming your health
When a patient presents with anxiety/depression, a doctor can do a CDT test to open the conversation about the patients drinking habits
Alcohol increases anxiety and when people give up drinking their anxiety will often lift
The test is inexpensive (30 Euros, R600) and can be arranged by your Doctor
Tribe Sober members can contact Dr Judy who will arrange for the test
If you are unable to source the test then you can contact Jean Deenmamode directly on +44(0)7917026152 or j.deenmamode@nullbtinternet.com

More info

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Episode Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program. If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today.
Read more about our membership program and subscribe HERE.