Drinking in Moderation May Be Good for Your Heart

Moderate or "healthy" drinking is defined as one alcoholic beverage per day for women or two alcoholic beverages per day for men. For the most part, people usually assume that it is always healthier to simply not drink at all. However, new studies have revealed that drinking in moderation may decrease one's risk of developing heart disease by up to 25%. This is believed to be due to alcohol's beneficial effects on the body's good HDL cholesterol. The study revealed that people who drink a moderate amount of alcohol each day (one or two drinks!) have higher level of HDL cholesterol and a protein which aids in blood clotting (apolipoprotein A1). While most people are under the impression that red wine is the only form of alcohol that has beneficial health effects, this study revealed that the risk of heart disease may be reduced from all forms of alcohol. However, it should be stressed that these findings only hold for moderate drinking; it does not mean that you should go out and get wasted every night of the week!

Abigail Hueske

VTPP 435-501

Article: "Moderate Alcohol Drinking May Boost Heart Health"

(http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20110224/moderate-alcohol-drinking-may-boost-heart-health)