11 Health Benefits That Have Been Linked to Drinking in Moderation

I think that’s so important as a takeaway for patients as well, because a lot of patients read studies like this thinking, oh, they found some risks that… What I can imagine a patient saying is we found a risk in breast cancer and not a risk in heart disease or any of the other ones. And unfortunately, they conflate inconclusive evidence with it’s safe. And so that’s really what I try and push towards my patients is we still don’t know.

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Moderate drinkers are far more likely to exercise than people who don’t drink. On the flip side, the more you exercise, the more likely you are to drink now and then. When we stop drinking, we remove the substance responsible for many of our mood cycles. As a result, Thiry says, many report improved relationships with family members, less risk-taking behavior, better energy and health, and the ability to work out.

What about people with a history of alcohol abuse?

Some people become addicted to the effects of alcohol, a condition known as alcohol dependence or alcoholism. Studies suggest that light and moderate consumption of alcohol may cut the risk of premature death — especially in Western societies (66, 67). Drinking alcohol may increase your risk of certain cancers, especially mouth and throat cancer. Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for cancers of the mouth, throat, colon, breast and liver (57, 58, 59). There are several possible reasons for the beneficial effects of drinking moderately. In fact — while drinking beer regularly may cause an increase in waist circumference — the well-known “beer belly” — wine consumption may have the opposite effect (31, 35, 36).

What Are the Impacts of Alcohol on Health?

• Drink too much, though, and you can get dehydrated, and that increases your risk of kidney stones along with other health problems.
• “If you consistently have six drinks a week, it’s probably about two or three months of lost life expectancy,” he adds.
• Heavy drinking is a major cause of preventable death in most countries.
• If you put in NAS, which is short for National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine and then alcohol, it’ll take you right to it.
• The guidelines do not recommend that individuals who currently do not drink start drinking for any reason.
• For men, heavy drinking means more than four drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks a week.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), moderate drinking is defined as consuming up to one alcohol drink a day for women and up to two alcohol drinks a day Alcoholics Anonymous for men. Alcohol is never going to be considered a health food, Kober says. But if you’re going to indulge, there are healthier options that you should reach for.

People may start abusing alcohol due to depression or become depressed by abusing alcohol. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for why is alcohol good for you weight loss…from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.

• Here’s what’s clear and what remains murky, when it comes to alcohol and health.
• To those who think everything enjoyable must be bad for you, this news might seem like a dream come true.
• And so I think while that’s useful to have a rule of thumb, in practice, it doesn’t pan out so well for patients.
• It can cause heart problems, liver disease and even cancer.
• It’s worth noting that current guidelines advise against drinking alcohol as a way to improve health.

Alcohol Increases Risk of Developing Breast Cancer

A 2018 animal study found that resveratrol had protective effects on cardiovascular function in diabetic rats. In the US, one standard drink is any drink that contains 0.6 fluid ounces (14 grams) of pure alcohol (ethanol). The problem is, most people have no idea what qualifies as a “standard drink.” To worsen matters, the official definition of a standard drink differs between countries.

• A moderate amount of alcohol relaxes the nervous system, helping people unwind and feel at ease.
• However, using alcohol as a stress-relief tool can become problematic if it leads to dependency or excessive consumption.
• So a low certainty would be inadequate evidence to support a conclusion.
• Whether or not to drink alcohol, especially for “medicinal purposes,” requires careful balancing of these benefits and risks.