To Drink Or Not To Drink For Heart Health?

Light to moderate alcohol drinkers are often happy to justify their drinking habits as supportive of heart health. After all, a number of studies have shown that people who drink one (for women) or two (for men) glasses of wine a day are less likely to develop heart disease, compared to those who do not consume alcohol at all. On the other hand, people to take more than these amounts (heavy drinkers) may have a greater risk of developing heart disease and other health problems such as liver disease and cancer, than those who take less.

But more recently, some researchers report new evidence that reducing alcohol intake, even for light drinkers, may have more benefits for cardiovascular health, than taking it regularly.

Alcohol's Effects on the Heart

Some research suggests that alcoholic drinks, when taken in moderation, may exert cardioprotective effects that reduce one's risk for heart disease. That is, people who drink one alcoholic beverage (or less) per day are up to 25% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease compared to nondrinkers. This conclusion was reached after different scientists conducted a review of multiple studies, which investigated the relationship of alcohol intake to heart disease. Some studies have found that tests for physical markers associated with heart disease are often better among light to moderate drinkers than for non-drinkers. They have found that light to moderate levels of alcohol consumption can:

• Increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels

• Lower blood pressure levels

• Inhibit blood clot formation, which may help prevent heart attacks

• Help prevent atherosclerosis or artery damage due to high LDL (bad cholesterol) levels

Although proponents of red wine-drinking advocate including this type of alcohol beverage in a healthy Mediterranean-style diet to promote heart health, some researchers have discovered that the benefits are related to the alcohol content of the drinks and not necessarily to the type of beverage consumed. Thus, health experts have recommended safe levels of alcohol intake as taking one drink per day for women, and up to two drinks per day for men. One drink may consist of wine, beer or other liquors) at these amounts:

• Wine, up to 4 to 5 ounces (oz)

• Beer, up to 12 oz

• Liquor, up to1.5 oz

However, the American Heart Association (AHA) emphasizes that these benefits may be obtained by other means, which does not involve consuming alcohol. For example, eating a healthy, balanced diet, controlling weight, and doing regular physical activity can help balance good and bad cholesterol levels, prevent weight gain, and reduce one's risk of heart disease as well.

See Also: Alcohol Effects On The Body

For those who drink occasionally, it is best to keep within the recommended safe levels of drinking to benefit from its effects and to avoid health problems.

New Research Shows No Benefits From Alcohol Intake

Calling into question previous findings that suggest cardioprotective effects of light-to-moderate alcohol consumption, more recent evidence published in The British Medical Journal by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania suggest that reducing alcohol consumption has more benefits on heart health. According to their findings, which were based on a review of more than 50 studies involving over 260,000 participants, those who consumed less alcohol had a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease. They were also found to have lower blood pressure levels and lower body fat based on body mass index (BMI).

The authors claim that while previous conclusions about the relation of alcohol consumption to heart health were based on observational studies, the new findings were based on a research approach called Mendelian randomization, where they studied genetic factors involved, rather than mere participant reports on questionnaires. The researchers found that male and female participants who had a genetic variant on how their bodies metabolize alcohol were more likely to drink less, and were more likely to have better heart health. Their findings showed that lower levels of alcohol consumption were associated with lower blood pressure levels, lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers, lower levels of body fat and non-HDL cholesterol, and lower risk of developing heart disease, compared with light, moderate, or heavy alcohol consumption.

Other researchers also suggest that it is not only in the amount of alcohol taken per week that has a significant health effects, but rather, the pattern of alcohol consumption involved that impact the body. Scientists from the University of Rochester Medical Center found that binge drinking even once or twice a week is associated with an increased risk of heart disease compared drinking lightly every day. They found that binge drinking may result in weight gain, increased bad cholesterol levels and greater risk for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Studies have also shown that drinking more than the recommended amounts of alcohol can cause irregular heartbeats and high blood pressure. Alcohol is a substance that may also interact with medications, such as pain relievers, sedatives, blood thinners and more. Chronic alcohol drinking also increases one's chances of developing serious liver disease and cancer.

Recommendations

In spite of all the published reports that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may have protective effects on heart health, doctors advise that people who do not drink alcohol must avoid taking these beverages just to reap these benefits, and seek other healthy means of promoting cardiovascular health.

See Also: Worst Complications Of Alcohol Abuse

Health experts also strongly advise against combining alcohol consumption with smoking, taking drugs, and other unhealthy behaviors. You must also consult a doctor if you have a health condition, or if you are taking medications that may interact with alcohol.

Finally, individuals who drink more than what is recommended are strongly urged to reduce their intake of alcohol, which can lead to significant improvement of their physical and mental health.