Alcohol< Good or Bad?

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Source:Guardian.co.uk

I was just reading an article about moderate alcohol consumption good for health. What caught my attention, which I have never read in such articles before, is that “it is not the imbibing that makes you healthy, instead the alcohol as an indicator of the social level that actually affects”. To read more click here. Well I can agree on this viewpoint.
But what intrigued me is how do these researchers put one in categories such as ‘Moderate’, ‘Low’ or ‘High’ drinking as per the amount of alcoholic drinks. The mentioned article highlighted that consumption of 7-21 glasses/ week comes under ‘Moderate’ category. And I always thought that more than 2 glasses/day definitely is a high consumption of alcohol because, as far as my knowledge goes, at this rate of consumption the benefits will far outweigh the risks. To enumerate, risks are:

1. Obesity (due to increased energy intake. 1 g of alcohol provides 7 calories),
2. Liver cirrhosis and dysfunction (because most of the time the exact alcohol (in ml)/ glass is not mentioned in such healthful articles, which may leave the liberty on the drinker),
3. Carcinogenesis (increased risk of various types of cancer),
4. Cardiovascular diseases (albeit the benefits have also been highlighted in various researches in treating CVDs),
5. Gastro-intestinal disorders (such as peptic ulcer disease),
6. Foetal abnormalities (for drinkers, who are pregnant),
7. Distorted coordination and emotional reactions (and perhaps, thus, to dementia as well), etc.

Alas, all this confusion was making my head spin 😦 Hence I did a little review and found out the following facts:

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have defined moderate drinking as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men.
• Heart disease risk, while lower amongst moderate drinkers, is substantially higher among people who drink to excess, even occasionally.
• What doctors usually consider a drink is basically a medium glass of wine, a 1.5 oz shot of spirits, or a can or bottle of beer. All of those have roughly similar amounts of pure alcohol in them.
• A standard drink is an alcoholic beverage that contains 14 grams, 0.6 fluid ounces, 1.2 tablespoons, or 18 ml of pure ethanol alcohol.
• The role of alcohol consumption in heart disease varies strongly by gender. The reason for that is twofold. On the one hand, women at any given age tend to have lower risks of heart disease than men do. As a result, the benefits of moderate drinking accrue disproportionately to men. At the same time, there are some particular risks of drinking for women that don’t exist for men.
• There is fairly consistent evidence that breast cancer rates are higher among women who drink moderately.
• Moderate alcohol consumption may lower your risk of gall stones.
• It takes the adult body about 2 hours to break down a single drink.
• Low-dose, daily alcohol consumption has also been linked to better health than less frequent use.
• If you have high blood pressure, it is wise not to drink alcohol at all, even in moderate amounts. Check this out.
• Guidelines from the United Kingdom suggest that middle-aged or elderly men and postmenopausal women who drink seldom or never might consider the possibility that light drinking would benefit their health.
• Moderate drinking is not recommended for women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, or for people who are under 21.
• Also, alcohol interacts with many common prescription and over-the-counter medications. Check with your doctor if you take antibiotics, pain relievers, antidepressants, anticoagulants, etc. For example, if you combine alcohol with aspirin, you face an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. 😦 So please be cautious.

Volume of Standard Drink

For fact sheets about how to read wine, malt beverage, and distilled spirits labels, visit the consumer corner of the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. If you want to estimate the alcohol content of a cocktail, try this calculator. To read more about the health benefits and risks related to alcoholic drinks, you can probe this article.

I wished to garner more information regarding “Moderation is the key” phrase, which has become a cliché with alcohol, and gain more clarity about consuming alcohols because I am an occasional drinker, so does that mean that I am on the lower side of health? And here is the gist outlined by me: Light drinking of alcohol, i.e. about 7 drinks/week can exert the beneficial effects of alcohol consumption, depending upon the age, sex, person’s medical and family history. Of course, there are many caveats associated with alcohol use in foods, and thus I do not suggest that teetotalers should take up drinking or that infrequent drinkers should start drinking more. Beyond that, I don’t think currently there is enough evidence to say that anybody should take up drinking just for any particular benefit unless their doctors recommend them. Apropos the cardioprotective benefits, it is only for those folks, who wish to feel good about themselves 🙂 having a drink. Rest of you should rethink drinking. Follow exercises on a regular basis, preferentially a cross-training schedule, and include healthy foods in your diet to have a healthy heart, healthy body and a healthy mind. Above all, don’t feel pressured to drink!