Geroge0V
The CDT is quite robust if you are a HRO. I believe it has to be lower than 1.5%, but a few on the forum say it has to be below 1.0% to hit the DVLA green zone.
As Grantyone has stated, the longer you can abstain the better. Another factor to consider is age - as we all get older our bodies are not necessarily as adaptable to the recovery process after a heavy intake of alcohol.
As a 20 odd year old, I think all of us could do regular weekends on the piss and have a two week lads holiday in Ibiza with none stop booze morning day & night, then have two weeks 'drying' out and bag a low CDT score!!!
However, as a 40 odd year old, the goal posts change and it can take a long time for the body to get a low CDT reading from a lifestyle of regular alcohol consumption. I'd say it would probably take weeks if not months to reach a target below 1.0%.
Even then the human body is deceptive - I've not consumed alcohol for 15 months but my last LFT was slightly higher than normal which could be down to a number of factors.
Too much salt, too much sugar, too much cholesterol, too much yeast, too much protein, too much citrus..........I could go on about other impact factors that can affect LFT readings.
The CDT readings are however specific to alcohol so I wouldn't worry too much if you are slightly overweight or you eat too many breakfast McMuffins.
I think we could all get a little bogged down by the medical 'whys & wherefores', 'do's & don'ts' of achieving maximum health scores but it would be pointless and unnecessary.
The CDT is a seemingly simple process. The DVLA don't expect you to be in perfect health but they do expect a low/good score which is only achievable by a lengthy period of alcohol abstinence.
CJ