Believing in health benefits of alcohol can be a slippery slope

Some people believe that drinking a little alcohol daily can have health benefits, especially staving off heart disease. But let me caution you that this thinking can be a slippery slope.

According to a recent article in Medical Daily, people like seeing the studies that talk about the health benefits of alcohol. The issue is, however, that these studies suggest there could be a link, but don’t offer definitive proof that it actually benefits heart health. Yet, many people take these reports at their word and may end up drinking more than they should, a new study from researchers at the University of California – San Francisco finds.

The study discovered that 39% of people believe alcohol is unhealthy for the heart, 30% believe it’s beneficial, and 31% were unsure. Researchers pointed out that 80% of people who said alcohol was heart healthy learned about its “benefits” through media reports. These people also consumed an average of 47% more alcohol than those who said it wasn’t healthy.

“It is particularly interesting to note that those who believe alcohol to be heart healthy actually drink more alcohol,” said Dr. Gregory Marcus, director of clinical research at UCSF’s Division of Cardiology, in a statement. “Whether their belief causes this behavior, or merely justifies it, remains an interesting unknown.”

While drinking alcohol in moderate amounts may offer some benefits, it’s a slippery slope. Bingeing and drinking excessively can even have the opposite effect as these studies claim, raising blood pressure and increasing risk of heart disease. If left untreated, the cardiovascular risks can be fatal. In fact, the American Heart Association reports that people who abuse alcohol are 70% more likely to develop heart failure.

And women, take note: Because your bodies metabolize alcohol differently, you may be at an even higher risk for alcohol-related heart problems than men.

So what does moderation mean? What is a safe amount of alcohol to drink? US Dietary Guidelines state that if alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age. One drink is defined as 12 fluid ounces of regular beer (5% alcohol), 5 fluid ounces of wine (12% alcohol), or 1.5 fluid ounces of 80 proof (40% alcohol) distilled spirits. One drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol.

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Gus Stieber is Director of Clinical Outreach Services at Kiva Recovery, a substance abuse and treatment center located in Vernon Hills. www.KivaRecovery.com