Dear Member,
Back in the early 1900s, pathologists made a startling discovery: The major arteries of people who died of alcoholic liver cirrhosis were “clean” – meaning free of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). At the time, scientists were unable to put their finger on the reason. Some theorized that alcohol worked as a kind of “solvent” that scrubbed the arteries of oxidized cholesterol.
Giving Up Alcohol Boosts Your Risk of Disease
Another clue emerged during the 1960s. Scientists started using computers to find risk factors for heart disease. After crunching all the data, which included factors like age, gender, smoking, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, etc. – they discovered something unexpected: Abstinence from alcohol increased a person’s risk of heart attack.
Until then, many studies missed this point. The reason was simple. Researchers always failed to separate drinkers from smokers. Because regular drinkers tended to also smoke – especially in the 1940s and 50s – the negative effects of tobacco hid the benefits of alcohol.
Today, we know that moderate drinking:
• Lowers your risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 32 percent
• Boosts your HDL (good cholesterol) by 10 to 20 percent
• Prevents your blood from clotting, which improves coronary blood flow
• Improves your cardiovascular health and lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke
• Heightens your body’s sensitivity to insulin, which decreases your risk of diabetes (a risk factor for heart disease)
In 2000, Finnish researchers looked at 28 clinical reports on the connection between alcohol and heart disease. They found that the risk of coronary heart disease went down as the amount of alcohol consumed daily went up from zero to 25 grams. (25 grams is roughly the same as 2 alcoholic drinks.)
More recently, at a meeting of the American Heart Association, researchers revealed their findings from a seven-year study of more than 125,000 people. They found that people who have one or two alcoholic drinks a day reduce their risk of dying from heart disease by 32 percent.
They also made the connection between alcohol and HDL (good cholesterol) – noting that other studies found moderate drinkers can raise their HDL by 10 to 20 percent. This is a critical finding, as HDL eliminates bad cholesterol from your body – dramatically lowering your risk of heart disease.
If you’re not sure how to define “moderate drinking,” one to two average size drinks a day is about right. Anymore, and you risk the chance of abuse. And let’s be clear, the abuse of alcohol is dangerous. It can lead to:
The Potential Health Dangers of Alcohol Abuse
Liver cirrhosis Arrhythmia
Pancreatitis Hemorrhagic stroke
Certain cancers Cardiomyopathy (damaged heart muscle)
Degenerative Neurological disorders Depression
High blood pressure Accidents, suicide
At the end of the day, responsibility is the key to getting the full benefit of moderate drinking. Drinking is only healthy if it’s tempered with moderation.
As far as a particular drink being better than another, I’d say red wine is the healthiest. It is full of a very powerful antioxidant called resveratrol. Recent studies show that resveratrol prevents disease, boosts your physical performance – both on and off the field – and can even add years to your life. What’s more, red wine has fewer carbs than most beers, so it’s better for your waistline too.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD