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Medical experts have long debated the health benefits of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol. Red wine has been found to contain an antioxidant that can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. But purple grapes provide the same protection, without the risks associated with drinking. |
"SHOULD I START drinking?" a teeto- taler with high cholesterol asked me last week. He had heard it would be good for his heart.
"No," I said. Though alcohol may help the heart in some ways, it has many drawbacks, as well, so I wouldn't recommend that someone start drinking. If you already enjoy an occasional drink, though, you don't need to give it up. The risks and benefits of alcohol are complicated. Though it may protect the heart, it seems to raise the risk of certain cancers.
Excessive drinking is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States and is associated with liver damage, several cancers, car accidents, violence, suicide, birth defects, pancreatic problems and brain damage. In high doses, alcohol does not protect the heart but actually increases blood pressure and the risk of strokes and sudden death.
Alcohol killed about 75,000 Americans in 2001, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it shortened their lives an average of 30 years.
Still, drinking small amounts of alcohol seems to reduce the risk of heart attacks, stroke, diabetes and dementia, according to scientific studies. The effects appear to be related to the alcohol itself, not the type of drink. Although no one seems entirely sure how it helps, one of the theories is that alcohol protects by raising the heart-healthy HDL-cholesterol .
Beyond the alcohol in it, red wine may have additional benefits. It contains an antioxidant called resveratrol, which may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. However, you also can get resveratrol from eating purple grapes and purple grape juice. Smaller amounts are found in peanuts.
Before you reach for a glass of beer or wine, consider that the data we have is not entirely clear. A study released in September showed that when black men drank, they had a higher risk of heart disease, while white men had lower risks. Researchers say that it's unlikely that alcohol affects blacks and whites differently. Instead, it may be that different lifestyles are responsible. The study raises the question of whether alcohol actually protects the heart.
Even if alcohol does protect the heart, there are more effective and nonaddictive things you can try first. These fall into two categories: problems to treat and new behaviors to try.
A huge study of 30,000 people in 52 countries, called INTERHEART, reinforced what we know about the first category of problems that lead to heart disease: People who smoke or have high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, depression, perceived stress, and difficult life circumstances are more prone to heart attacks. See your doctor for help for these problems.
In the second category, the study showed that daily consumption of fruits and vegetables reduced heart-attack risk by 30 percent, daily physical activity reduced it by 14 percent, and moderate alcohol consumption reduced it 9 percent.
Notice drinking is at the bottom of the list, and it's not recommended for some people.
Bingeing hurtsThough the American Heart Association says moderate drinking is one drink per day for women and up to two daily for men, a study out of Harvard suggests that the maximum health benefit comes after only one drink. And other experts say that our bodies are less able to detoxify alcohol as we grow older, so that elderly people should consider stopping after one drink, regardless of gender.
A drink is considered a 12-ounce can or bottle of beer, a 4-ounce glass of wine, which is small by many restaurant standards, and a mere ounce of hard liquor.
If you're thinking of drinking, always ask your doctor. Definitely consider not drinking at all if you:
Have a personal or family history of alcoholism.
Are a woman who is pregnant or could conceive.
Are currently taking Tylenol or more than one baby aspirin daily.
Are taking other medicines--check with your pharmacist.
Have a liver disease such as hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Have pancreatic problems.
You may also wish to limit alcohol if you:
Have a personal or family history of colon cancer or breast cancer.
Use tobacco (it cancels beneficial effects of alcohol).
Have a human papilloma virus infection that could lead to cervical cancer.
Your body needs folate, a B vitamin, to repair damaged DNA and to reduce the risk of colon and cervical cancers. Drinking alcohol causes your body to use up extra folate, possibly draining the folate needed for cancer prevention.
JENNIFER MOTL , a registered dietitian, welcomes reader questions. E-mail her at jenmotl@earth link.net; or write to her at Nutrition, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.
