Drinking Alcohol Is Bad…But Sometimes Good1

Moderate drinking may actually be healthier than not drinking at all, according to a series of studies presented at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Chicago. In fact, alcohol improved male coronary bypass patients as well as women’s health.

On the other hand, too much alcohol can cause harm. Men with left ventricular dysfunction who consumed six or more drinks a day were twice as likely to die from a heart problem.

According to lead author Dr. Umberto Benedetto, of the University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy: “A light amount of alcohol intake, about two drinks a day, should not be discouraged in [male] patients undergoing CABG, but the benefit is less evident in patients with severe pump dysfunction.”

Light-to-moderate drinking is defined as about one glass a day for women and two glasses a day for men.

A second study concluded that for women, one drink a day lowered stroke risk. Other research found that women’s overall health also benefited from light-to-moderate drinking of alcohol.

But broaching the subject of how much to drink is not always easy.

“If someone is already drinking a modest amount of alcohol — one glass a day for women and up to two a day for men — I don’t discourage them or talk them out of drinking because it seems like there may be some benefit and little harm at those doses,” said Dr. Erin D. Michos, assistant professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “For those who don’t drink I don’t encourage them to take up alcohol.”

Additional Source:  Medicine.Net

1 Comment

  1. Apu

    i am diabetic and 22 years old (i’ve had type 1 since i was 8) .i have a drink ocsnlioaalcy, but i dont drink beer (loaded with carbs) i usually drink sugar free redbull and vodka .it has never had much of an effect on my blood sugar but then again i dont let myself get drunk so i dont lose control. i had a diabetic friend die at the age 17 due to the fact that she funnelled way too many beers at a party and passed out and no one realized her blood sugar had shot up above 1000 and she flat lined and never came out of a coma. everything should be done in moderation.

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