Scientific research has found that consuming alcohol in moderation may provide some cardiovascular health benefits. The study results showed that the protective effect may extend to moderate alcohol consumption of any kind in older people. In previous research, scientists have linked drinking red wine to improved heart health.
Moderate drinking habits and alcohol in moderation reduce the risk of heart attack in old age
Researchers found a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease with moderate alcohol consumption in a study group of 18,000 men and women aged 70 and older. During approximately 5 years of follow-up, participants consumed between 51 and 100 grams, 101 and 150 grams, and more than 150 grams of alcohol per week compared to the control group of non-drinkers. The study authors reported that 18 percent of the study group participants did not consume alcohol, while 37 percent drank 1 to 50 grams of alcohol per week. However, the research team also warned that alcohol consumption also poses a variety of health risks. Additionally, people with diabetes or osteoporosis might have problems with it. These often occur in older people. Therefore, the benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation depend enormously on the person. For this reason, age, health status and previous illnesses must be taken into account.
Given the study results, individuals who choose to habitually consume alcohol in low to moderate amounts may benefit from cardiovascular health benefits. However, this would have to be weighed against the risk of other diseases, particularly cancer and liver disease. Therefore, people who do not drink should not start taking it just to reduce their cardiovascular risk. According to the researchers, there are certainly other more effective ways to achieve this. They found that participants in their research may have been more physically and socially active than others in the same age group.This studyalso excluded former alcohol users who may have stopped drinking for various health reasons.
