For decades, we have been told moderate consumption of alcohol has protective effects, reducing heart disease and increasing life span. More recently, some researchers have questioned the health benefits of alcohol and linked any drinking with increased risks for premature death, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Overall, the available experimental evidence reviewed in this article suggests that moderate intake of alcohol does not lead to weight gain. The systematic review by Bendsen et al. 3• suggests that this trend is less likely in experimental studies examining beer consumption exclusively. Also, the intervention periods in the aforementioned studies ranged from 4–10 weeks, and therefore may not have been long enough to identify the slight changes in weight that can accumulate over time to result in overweight or obesity. A modest increase in weight of one kilogram over a 10 week period seems insignificant but over five years this could result in up to 26 kg of weight gain if no compensation takes place.
Can a binge drinker moderate alcohol consumption?
- For example, it may be used to define the risk of illness or injury based on the number of drinks a person has in a week.
- These definitions facilitate objective assessments of how much a person is drinking, enable comparisons of alcohol consumption within and across studies, and help consumers follow low-risk drinking guidelines.
- Consuming moderate amounts of certain types of alcohol, such as wine, has shown some benefits.
- The association between alcohol intake and body weight is generally stronger in men than women 15, especially because of the amount and type of alcohol consumed by men.
In 2018, when Hartz and her colleagues compared thousands of moderate and very light drinkers (one or two drinks per week), the advantages of moderate consumption basically disappeared. By 2022 the World Heart Federation stated that alcohol did not protect people. Determining whether you should drink should be based on several factors, including your own health and lifestyle, your history with alcohol, and your body’s own limitations. The effects of alcohol can also vary from person to person. Moderate drinking is defined as 2 drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women, per the CDC’s guidelines. You might think having a few drinks regularly is harmless, but even consuming alcohol in moderation carries some risks.
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Drinking alcohol in excess can negatively impact your health, including almost every part of your body. High alcohol consumption is not considered safe, and has the potential to damage vital organs, as well as affect your behavior and mood. In other words, the study’s findings indicate that moderate drinking for men and women should be no more than 100 g, approximately the same amount recommended for women by the US guidelines. In addition, certain individuals should avoid alcohol completely, particularly those who experience facial flushing and dizziness when drinking alcohol. Also in this category are older adults, anyone planning to drive a vehicle or operate machinery, and individuals who participate in activities that require skill, coordination, and alertness. There is no known safe amount of alcohol consumption for women who are pregnant or might become pregnant.
Possible Health Benefits of Alcohol
One standard drink in the U.S. contains around 14 grams of pure alcohol. According to the Office of Alcohol and Drug Education at the University of Notre Dame, IN, a woman’s body absorbs 30 percent more alcohol than a man’s after drinking the same amount. Women usually have lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (AHD) than men. Consequently, alcohol remains in a woman’s system longer and builds up faster.
Is moderate drinking heart-healthy?
No matter your how to drink moderately reason for looking at your drinking habits, you may find that in the end, you don’t need alcohol at all. If you’re looking for an alcohol-free wine alternative, Surely has got you covered. If you’re unsure whether you should be drinking alcohol, follow up with your doctor or healthcare provider. They’ll offer guidance on healthy drinking habits and whether you should be drinking at all.
Moderate drinking increases health risks compared to not drinking
The active ingredient in alcoholic beverages, a simple molecule called ethanol, affects the body in many different ways. It directly influences the stomach, brain, heart, gallbladder, and liver. It affects levels of lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and insulin in the blood, as well as inflammation and coagulation. It’s safe to say that alcohol is both a tonic and a poison. Moderate drinking seems to be good for the heart and circulatory system, and probably protects against type 2 diabetes and gallstones. Heavy drinking is a major cause of preventable death in most countries.
- Moderate drinking sits at the point at which the health benefits of alcohol clearly outweigh the risks.
- In the United States, where a standard drink equals 14 grams, that would be 4.25 standard drinks.
- Extreme binge drinking, also known as high-intensity drinking, refers to drinking at levels far beyond the binge threshold, resulting in high peak blood alcohol concentrations.
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- For example, research suggests that women are more likely than men to experience hangovers and alcohol-induced blackouts at comparable doses of alcohol.5,6 Other biological differences may contribute as well.
In common parlance, a moderate drinker is someone who does not drink to the point of drunkenness unless on special occasions. It is a nebulous concept that people often use to distinguish between a heavy drinker—someone who may frequently drink to the point of drunkenness—and the occasional drinker or non-drinker. These are not scientific terms by any means; they are merely the phrases that have come to be adopted by individuals in their day-to-day use of language, and their definitions are highly subjective. There’s a fourth woman in the group, a retiree from Ohio who calls abortion “a core value” of hers although it’s not clear if she is for or against it. It’s only later that I’m told this group is made up of moderates who happen to lean conservative.
All of these factors point to women absorbing more alcohol, and therefore having a higher blood alcohol content than men with a comparable dose of alcohol. It may not seem fair, but drinking just isn’t the same for women. Though men are more likely to have a drinking problem, there are unique physical and emotional factors that can lead women to have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Decide how many days a week you’ll drink and how much you’ll drink on those days. It’s also a good idea to have some days when you don’t drink at all.
