Additionally, since the 60’s and perhaps much earlier, it is often recommended that women take a glass of beer a day when pregnant because of the added Vitamin D and other benefits. This is wholly contrary to the concept that pregnant women should consume absolutely ZERO alcohol during Alcohol screening online.
Let’s take a quick trip to Europe where, in Germany, they drink beer rather than water; in France and Italy and Spain the drink is wine rather than water. We’re talking people of all ages, from children up. Generally in Europe the water is unsafe to drink unless boiled or bottled from the store. And they have a lower heart disease and resultant stroke and especially heart attack problem than the US and Canada.
So here’s the big question: Will a glass of wine or a shot of vodka a day keep the doctor away?
A large body of evidence collected over the past few years shows that modest alcohol consumption can reduce deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD) in middle and old age. Since heart disease accounts for about half of the deaths among older adults, it might seem that finding a way to cut the death rate would be greeted with joy by public health officials, who are always on the lookout for a means to prevent premature death.
However, we are not likely to see cheerful “have one for the heart” posters replacing the current warnings about the bad effects of alcohol. This is because, despite its benefits for the heart, most medical authorities consider the ill effects of alcohol too dire to recommend it as “heart medicine.” The risks of injuries, assault and various health problems related to drinking are too great to suggest that non-drinkers start consuming alcohol to improve heart-health. These risks are present because most people can’t, or won’t, have “just one” – take my Aunty’s example for a case in point. Aunty, after two ponys (3 to 4 “1-ounce shots”) was about half looped. And if she had a third there wasn’t any “about” about it – she was very definitely loaded.
So what is this body of evidence showing about possible benefits of moderate alcohol intake as “cardioprotective” benefits?
Studies from around the world show a consistent link between moderate alcohol consumption and decreased deaths from coronary heart disease, and in both sexes over age 35-40, but especially among middle aged men. Modest alcohol consumption seems to reduce risks of death from coronary disease by 40-50 per cent. This effect is termed the “cardioprotective” effect of moderate alcohol consumption. The benefits of modest alcohol intake hold true even for those who have had heart attacks or are at known risk for CHD.
Depending on the studies, the heart protection occurs with alcohol consumptions of one to five drinks a day. But most studies show the heart-saving effects of alcohol peak at levels of two or fewer drinks a day, and that benefits plateau at three drinks per day. In fact, the research suggests that as little as one drink every other day may confer heart-protecting effects in both sexes over age 35.
The downside here is that excessive consumption not only improves the cardioprotective benefits but, even with modest drinking but in amounts over two daily drinks, the possible benefits gained for the heart are negated by the bad health effects of alcohol – more falls, bruises, cuts, road injuries, violence, rising blood pressure, hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke, liver cirrhosis and some types of cancer.
Now I, personally, from a lifetime (I’m 69 and counting) of observation on friends and relatives, including 4 years living in the heart of Europe (Orleans, France), am convinced of the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption. Never-the-less, one must remember that even moderate drinking can cause increases in the death rates from violence, trauma, fire, water and road injuries.
The “J-shaped” curve – here’s where I have a big problem….
Studies in many countries find that people who consume alcohol in moderation have lower death rates (from all causes) than those at either extreme: abstainers and those who drink to excess. My problem here is that, so far as I know, “Life is 100% fatal.” Thus, there is absolutely no way in which “people who consume alcohol in moderation have lower death rates (from all causes) than those…” Anyway, back to the “J-Curve”. In other words, heavy drinkers and abstainers have higher death rates than moderate drinkers. Graphs that plot deaths from heart attacks against amounts of alcohol consumed have a so-called “J-shaped pattern” with a shallow dip in total mortality for modest drinkers. This indicates that people who drink a lot die early, relatively speaking, and — contrary to expectations — that those who drink no alcohol also have increased premature death rates. Recent data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) found the coronary mortality rate of moderate drinkers (who average a daily one to two glasses of wine, beer or spirits) was 50 per cent lower than that of total abstainers and 60 per cent lower than that of heavy drinkers.
So, then, what is moderate drinking – How much is enough:?
The concept of “moderate drinking” varies from one country or population to another, as do the amounts of alcohol in beverages. For example, one average North American drink contains 12-14 gm alcohol; in Britain it would have 8.5 gm alcohol per drink, while in German beer halls each glass might contain 20 gm per drink. In general, the “experts” consider moderate drinking to be one to two 5-oz. glasses of table wine, two bottles of regular beer or a couple of 1.5-oz. shots of spirits a day for men and less for women, but not every day. Current recommendations for low-risk drinking suggest no more than one to two standard alcoholic drinks a day for women, no more than two a day for men.