Part 39 - The Good and Bad of Alcohol
So I had a little argument last week which started because of my personal dislike of smoking, a dislike which I am not ashamed to declare! It was then claimed, in defence of the smoking population, that my reasonably regular desire for a nice cold beer after exercise or on a summer’s afternoon is: “far worse than one cigarette every few weeks.” So this month I set out to research the truth behind this statement. Is one glass of red wine per day really good for the heart and if so then why red in particular? Let’s find out!
Story Highlights
- Can Booze Be Good For You?
- The Dangers
- What is Moderation?
- It’s Worse When You’re Older
- The French Paradox
Can Booze Be Good For You?
Living on the French side of the English Channel, I have seen a considerable difference in the drinking culture. I’ll tell you later about a subject known as The French Paradox but let us begin on more scientifically grounded terrain.
There are hundreds of studies showing that moderate alcohol consumption does in fact prevent cardiovascular disease, across the sexes and the ages. This is explained by the effect of alcohol in increasing the amount of HDF (otherwise known as good cholesterol) in the blood. Further trends have been observed between moderate alcohol consumption and a decrease in the risk of Type Two Diabetes, through greater sensitivity to insulin, blood clotting and gall stones. Sounds good! There are however some questions still lurking. Namely how do you define moderate and are there any dangers that outweigh these risks?
The Dangers
Let’s address the issue of dangers first. Heavier drinking is proven to greatly increase the risk of liver disease, hepatitis, cirrhosis, high blood pressure and damage to the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy). Recent research has also shown links to a variety of cancers, most notably through the digestive tract (the mouth, oesophagus and colon) and breast cancer in women. This is because alcohol deactivates a chemical called Folate which is necessary for accurate cell division. Scary. The dangers of lighter drinking are also well known, mainly through simultaneous use with medication and how it inevitably clouds your judgement.
What is Moderation?
Moderation is defined as ‐ up to the point where the dangers outweigh the benefits. As far as what you drink goes, it seems largely irrelevant whether your alcohol consumption is red wine based or beer based. That is to say that even though certain beverages may have their individual benefits or drawbacks, this is unrelated to the effects of the alcohol within. At the end of the day it’s the same chemical.
The factors that you should take into account when it comes to moderation are as follows. The first is frequency. One drink per night (one beer or one glass of wine) is not the same as six days without and then all of them on Friday. Nor is it the same as two per night. Smaller amounts spread over a greater time allows the body to cope, minimizing the negative effects and maximizing the benefits. It also promotes the mentality of enjoying what you drink, not just joining the race to get bladdered.
It’s Worse When You’re Older
Age is also relevant, given that getting older means a greater risk of heart disease, which often overtakes many of the risks associated with alcohol. Again I urge you not to take this statistic as an excuse and to bare in mind the big picture (family and medical history, along with other lifestyle factors and so on), but ten times more women die each year from heart disease than from breast cancer.
All of this said, look back to my info on cardiovascular training and you’ll find a far more effective way to keep the heart working properly ‐ and you can still enjoy a nice cold beer after your run ‐ from time to time that is!
The French Paradox
A quick word to finish about the French Paradox I mentioned earlier. In a country with an incredibly rich cuisine ‐ full of butter and cheese, how come this diet isn’t reflected by an increase in the number of heart disease cases? Nobody knows. But with a culture which promotes an aperitif or a small glass of nice wine on an average evening, could this be the benefits of moderation in action?
‐ David Haw
No comments were found
