Alcohol And Heart Health

 

For the past 30 years some have promoted alcohol as “Heart healthy” and protective against coronary artery diseases. Much have appeared in popular and scientific publications on the subject. But the many contradictory results of the various studies may be for a wide variety of reasons. Prominent researches have suggested that some or all of the apparent cardiac protective effect of moderate drinking may be the results of other factors.

READ ALSO: Heavy Drinking Affects Decision Making the Following Day

Differences in health status, education, and socioeconomic status of the individuals studied have added even more confusion in interpreting the data. For example, a number of the subjects included in the nondrinking group had been drinkers prior to the studies being done and had stopped using alcohol for health reasons.

A growing number of researchers attribute the better heart health outcomes among the moderate drinkers not to alcohol, but to their average health status and healthful lifestyle in other behaviors, such as exercise and a diet that were superior to that of the nondrinking studied.

READ ALSO: Heavy Drinking Affects Decision Making the Following Day

Taking into account all the definite health risks related to alcohol, it doesn’t make sense to promote its use for heart health, especially when other proven and safe ways to prevent heart disease exist, such as daily exercise and a healthful diet.

READ ALSO: Heavy Drinking Affects Decision Making the Following Day