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For decades, the research on alcohol has been unclear and often contradictory (too much alcohol is bad for you, but a little alcohol is good; some types of alcohol are better than others; in conclusion, all are bad). However, the picture is becoming increasingly clear: Even small amounts of alcohol can have health consequences, according to recent studies published in PubMed.
"Isn't alcohol good for the heart?" , you will ask rightly and we will answer you.
In fact, the effect of alcohol on the heart is confusing because some studies have claimed that small amounts of alcohol, especially red wine, can be beneficial. Previous research suggested that alcohol increases HDL, the "good" cholesterol, and that resveratrol, an anti-oxidant found in grapes and red wine, has heart-protective properties.
Mariann Piano, professor at "Vanderbilt University" says that:
"The idea that a low dose of alcohol is healthy for the heart probably arose from the fact that people who drink small amounts of alcohol tend to have other healthy habits, such as physical activity, eating fruits and vegetables and not smoking. In observational studies, the heart benefits of these behaviors may have been mistakenly attributed to alcohol.”
So should we cut back on consumption – or stop it altogether?
You don't have to stop completely to improve your health. Even a reduction can be helpful, especially if you currently drink more than the recommended limits. The risk "accelerates after you exceed a few drinks a day," says Tim Naimi, director of the University of Victoria's Canadian Institute for Research on Substance Use.
"So people who drink five or six drinks a day, if they can cut down to three or four, they're going to do really well for their health."
Even those who drink lightly every day can benefit by reducing their consumption slightly.
Try going a few nights without alcohol. "If you feel better, your body is trying to tell you something," says George Koob, director of the National Institute on Substance and Alcohol Abuse.
Sources: The New York Times
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