We’ve all seen the headlines, whether in the form of a link to an online magazine, or maybe the hook from a particular news station: ‘Drinking Moderately Helps the Heart.’ But does it really? We as alcoholics have made a choice to live our lives without the drink, to seek an alternative lifestyle not run by blackouts, hangovers, sneaking around, etc., but then we see something like this and one can’t help but scoff in disbelief. How can something so ruinous for some be considered so good for others? It is, understandably, mind-boggling to us, but we’re not the only ones—following a recent study conducted by over 150 researchers from around the world, it’s finally come to light that that glass of wine in the evening is not only ineffective in helping with one’s heart, it’s hurting it.
The study, co-led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, originally aimed to study a protein which breaks down alcohol in a person’s system more rapidly. During said process, the individual with this protein would succumb to nausea, facial flush, and a series of other symptoms. In correlation with this, these carriers drank 17% less alcohol and were less likely to binge drink, but of most importance denoted a gradual decline in their overall drinking over time.
In comparing around 260,000 European-descent carriers and non-carriers’ drinking habits, it was at this point discovered that those whose alcohol consumption dwindled also saw an increase in heart health.
According to an article via Medical News Today, Michael Holmes, co-lead author of the report, and research assistant professor in Perelman School of Medicine’s department of Transplant Surgery, puts it simply:
“Contrary to what earlier reports have shown, it now appears that any exposure to alcohol has a negative impact upon heart health.”
Holmes is of course referring to past studies where the results denoted a clear association between heavy drinking and cardiovascular disease, but that light to moderate drinking (said to be around 0.6 to 0.8 oz., or a 175 ml glass of wine) might benefit the heart. Not only has this now in all probability been proven false, but, regardless, the benefits of going without that glass of wine are all too clear: those who abstained have already been found to have a decreased risk of coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure, and lower body mass index.
What do you think?