Health Alert 24
You’ve probably heard that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol appears to have health benefits. Most reports I’ve seen have focused on wine. It’s now well accepted that red wine can help the heart. But do other alcoholic beverages have health benefits? What about beer? Are the benefits of wine due to the grape or the alcohol?
* Benefits of Wine *
Red wine has been the subject of more studies than any other alcoholic beverage. We have known about polyphenols for several years. But now the evidence is mounting that wine’s health benefits occur through more than one mode of action.
The July 1 2000 issue of Cancer Research contained a groundbreaking study. They isolated the compound in red wine that helps fight cancer. The compound inhibits the activity of a cellular protein. This turns on a gene that triggers the killing of cancer cells.
A study in the 2001 issue of Nature states that red wine blocks a compound thought to be a key factor in heart disease. The study found that red wine inhibits the formation of endothelin-1. This chemical makes blood vessels constrict and increases heart attack risk.
Antioxidants in wine also reduce the formation of plaque in blood vessels. Other studies have found that wine dilates blood vessels. Still others suggest wine stops blood from inappropriate clotting.
* Benefits of Beer *
Wine is not the only alcoholic drink to show considerable aid to heart health. Moderate amounts of beer lowered the chance of heart disease by 30-40% compared to non-drinkers. This is according to a University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center report from May of 1999.
The New England Journal of Medication published a study that examined beer and the risk of stroke. The November 1999 issue stated that light to moderate beer drinking decreases the risk of having a stroke by 20%.
The yeast in beer is rich in vitamins. Beer provides a bounty of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 has been linked to heart health as well. Beer can increase vitamin B6 in blood plasma by 30%.
* Benefits of Alcohol In General*
Other studies have been done which do not discriminate between types of alcoholic beverages. Any form of alcohol has been shown to be useful.
The Physician’s Health Study found that men who have 5 to 6 drinks a week had 20% lower risk of death than those who didn’t drink at all. Those who consumed alcohol daily had a 40% decrease in the risk of coronary artery disease. But men who drank more than twice a day had a higher risk of death.
The Cardiovascular Health Study showed the association between alcohol and your risk of stroke. The study, published in a 2001 issue of Stroke, followed 3,660 people over 65, for 2 years. MRI scans checked blood clots in the patients’ brains. People who drank between one and six alcoholic drinks per week had a lower incidence of stroke and brain abnormalities compared to those that drank none at all.
A 12-year study of 47,000 men from 40 to 75 examined the association of alcohol with diabetes. In a 2001 issue of Diabetes, men who drank 1.5 drinks per day, had a 36% lower risk of diabetes. Moderate alcohol may improve the sensitivity of insulin, and lower blood sugar.
The type of alcohol consumed did not affect the results of these last three studies. The benefit was found for wine, beer or mixed spirits.
* The Bottom Line*
If you currently do not drink alcohol, don’t start now. I am sure there are other ways to protect your heart and lower your risk of cancer.
If you are currently a drinker, the key must be moderation. In all of the studies that list benefits from alcoholic beverages, only moderate drinkers profited. By moderation, I mean one or two per day. This matters much more than the type of alcohol you chose.
Al Sears, MD