Drinking one pint a day has been linked to reduced risk of developing several serious heart conditions in new large-scale study. Moderate drinking, usually defined as no more than 14 units of alcohol a week – equivalent to around one and a half bottles of wine or seven pints of regular-strength lager – is associated with a lower risk of developing some, but not all, cardiovascular diseases, said scientists.
They found moderate drinkers were less likely than teetotallers and heavy drinkers to see a doctor for seven conditions including heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots.
Steven Bell, who led the research, told The Independent there could be a number of possible explanations for the findings.
“In terms of biology, people who drink in moderation tend to have lower levels of inflammation, or higher levels of good cholesterol,” he said.
“But some people would say these people just tend to be more healthy and socially engaged, and that’s leading to lower levels of different types of heart disease than the drinking itself.”
The research, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), adds to already existing evidence that drinking alcohol within recommended limits may reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Dr Bell said the study of 1.93 million adults was “larger than all previous studies when pooled together”.
Source: The Independent
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