Alcohol and Nutrition Claims

Should you have the glass of wine? Are two better? Wait, is beer going to give you the same benefits? What about vodka? Do you have to have a glass of alcohol each day? Can I have a drink only 3 days a week? Is alcohol good for my heart? Will it raise my risk of cancer if I have a drink? The attention and changing voice of alcohol and health claims is staggering! The following facts are what we know about alcohol and health in 2008.

Red wine and heart disease

The heart-protecting benefits of red wine have received some attention. However, this information is confusing, because professionals do not know what it is about drinking red wine that may have beneficial effects. Current thought is that it is possibly because of flavonoids, antioxidants, or lifestyle factors that have the desired effect. The American Heart Association has no specific recommendations regarding alcohol consumption and heart disease, but research is continuing to demystify the connection.

Alcohol and cholesterol

Will drinking alcohol affect your cholesterol levels? Current research shows that alcohol may have beneficial effects on raising HDL or “good” cholesterol in the blood. No evidence exists to show that drinking alcohol has the same effects as other measures to improve cholesterol ratios. The American Heart Association continues to recommend that working with a physician, increasing physical activity, losing weight if overweight, and following a healthy diet are the primary interventions in lowering cholesterol.

For your heart, the American Heart Association recommends:

If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. This means an average of one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. (A drink is one 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits.) Drinking more alcohol increases such dangers as alcoholism, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, suicide and accidents. Also, it’s not possible to predict in which people alcoholism will become a problem. Given these and other risks, the American Heart Association cautions people NOT to start drinking… if they do not already drink alcohol. Consult your doctor on the benefits and risks of consuming alcohol in moderation.

Alcohol and cancer

Does drinking alcohol cause cancer? According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), pretty convincing evidence shows that drinking alcohol increases the risk of liver, colon, rectal, breast, mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus cancers. It is believed that alcohol damages sensitive tissues in the upper-respiratory tract when consumed, which may cause cancer. The AICR recommendations are the same as the American Heart Association recommendations for those who consume alcoholic beverages. They encourage people who do not drink alcohol not to start.

Alcohol and stress

Many people consume alcohol to reduce feelings of stress or anxiety in their lives. Research finds that alcohol in low doses may lessen the body’s response to stressors, but many studies show just the opposite effect—alcohol really increases the stress response by stimulating production of the same hormones the body produces when under stress. No conclusions on the alcohol and stress connection exist at this time.

References

American Heart Association. Alcohol, Wine and Cardiovascular Disease.
Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4422.

Healthcastle Nutrition. Alcohol and Cancer.
Available at: http://www.healthcastle.com/alcoholandcancer.shtml.

MedicineNet. Alcohol & Stress: At Risk for Alcoholism?
Available at: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=54999.

Posted 4/03/09