From the way some people talk about alcohol, you might think it’s almost a cure-all, capable of preventing heart attacks and strokes while reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and macular degeneration.
Others, however, will tell you alcohol is bad for your body and brain, causing addiction, cirrhosis of the liver and abnormal heart rhythms while raising the risk of breast cancer.
So who is right? Well, both sides, actually.
A growing body of research suggests that, when consumed in moderation, alcohol can have many significant health benefits.
The evidence purporting that alcohol may be associated with a reduction in heart disease – or at least a reduction in deaths from heart disease – has garnered the most attention.
One recent study of former teetotalers found that those who took up drinking wine in middle age experienced a 38 percent reduction in heart attacks and stroke over four years.
“The findings suggest that, for carefully selected individuals, a ‘heart healthy diet’ may include limited alcohol consumption, even among individuals who have not included alcohol previously,” the study’s authors wrote.
Another recent study found that patients who drank one or two drinks a day after suffering an initial heart attack were much less likely to die of any cause in the years immediately after.
But the findings aren’t cause to over-imbibe. Scientists believe that moderate consumption is ideal, with the federal government defining drinking in moderation as having no more than 1 drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per day for men. Drinking more has been associated with numerous health risks.
In my 30 years as a practicing physician, I was never one to encourage my patients to take up drinking for their health’s sake. Eating right, exercising, quitting smoking and losing weight if warranted have positive effects on the heart, without the risks associated with over-drinking.
But the new studies suggest that if you are able to drink responsibly, consuming perhaps a glass of wine with dinner, there may be no need to stop.
Visitor Feb 26, 2009
A growing body of research suggests that, when consumed in moderation, alcohol can have many significant health benefits.