How much alcohol can you safely
drink?
And do the benefits of alcohol outweigh the
risks?
The bad news
Most experts agree that drinking excessively increases the risk
of liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, cognitive problems and cancers of the
mouth, throat, breast and oesophagus.
The good news
Many scientists also believe drinking in moderation can help keep us
healthy.
According to a recent paper published in the Journal of
the American College of Cardiology, an analysis of more than one
million adults found that drinking small amounts of alcohol each day
was linked to a 18 per cent reduction in mortality.
Meanwhile,
several studies have found that adults who drink in moderation are less
likely than teetotallers to develop type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance
(a precursor to type 2 diabetes), and metabolic syndrome.
Plus, some
studies have even shown that adults who consume small amounts of
alcohol every day have less fat around their waistline – suggesting
that the classic beer belly is something of a myth.
It’s our
hearts that love the occasional tipple the most, with the majority of
studies showing that moderate drinking reduces the risk of coronary
heart disease by 30-35 per cent. Alcohol in moderation seems to boost
levels of HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol, which reduces the stickiness of
blood, helping to prevent the blood clots that can cause heart attacks
or strokes.
But the key word is ‘moderation’. To reap
the health benefits, limit alcohol to just one or
two units a day.
And when it comes to protecting against
heart disease, the health benefits only kick in for men over the age of
40 and postmenopausal women.
Think before you drink
The
Department of Health recommends that men should have no more than three
to four units of alcohol a day, and women no more than two to three
units daily, and one
drink alone may provide all your recommended daily alcohol intake.
Unfortunately, labelling cans
or bottles of alcoholic drinks with the number of units they contain
isn’t compulsory. However, many products now label units to help you
tot up your intake. And discussions are planned for 2008 to consider
making information about sensible drinking on alcohol containers a
legal requirement.
Drinking and
driving
There’s no fail-safe guide as to how much you can drink to
stay within the legal limit, so the only safe solution is to avoid
drinking altogether if you are planning to drive.
Pregnant women
Meanwhile,
pregnant women should also refrain from drinking alcohol, or at least
limit their intake, although current advice from healthcare bodies is
contradictory.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence suggests that pregnant women can drink up to 1.5 units of
alcohol a day without harming their unborn baby, but you might feel
safer following the Department of Health’s recommendation that pregnant
women should avoid alcohol altogether.
What’s the best tipple?
Red wine is often given the ‘health halo’,
mainly because it’s packed with antioxidants such as flavonoids that
studies have suggested may protect against heart disease.
But most health experts now agree that it
doesn’t matter what you drink – it’s regular small doses of alcohol
itself, rather than specific wines, beers or spirits, that can boost
health.
When you drink may also be important. Some studies show that
drinking alcohol before or with a meal is best for a healthy heart.
As
for how often you should drink? Well, most studies suggest that, like
exercise, a tipple protects the heart most when it’s done every day and
in moderation.
Cheers!