Q: I am 25 years old male and have a normal lifestyle. I only drink on the weekends and that too within limits. I would like to should I go for monthly physical check ups and blood tests? Should I also get my liver tested as I consume alcohol regularly? Does alcohol within limit damage the liver?

A:Important factor is what is a reasonable limit of alcohol intake and how your body metabolises alcohol. We also need to consider your lifestyle including smoking, diet, exercise, family history of diabetes, hypertension, liver or heart disease. You may undergo a baseline blood test for liver (LFT) including GGT, lipid profile, fasting blood sugar and creatinine. Subsequently, tests are not required every month but can be done once or twice a year depending on these values. Your doctor can interpret these lab results for you.