Score Another One for Alcohol, in Moderation

Moderate alcohol use – up to two drinks a day – has demonstrated health benefits: a reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, and dementia. It’s thought that it works by improving the function of the endothelium, or cell layer, that lines the small arteries, reducing atherosclerosis.

Now there’s a report that moderate alcohol use is associated with a lower risk of congestive heart failure in older people – even those who haven’t had a heart attack or stroke. Those over 65 who drank up to 2 drinks a day had a 34% reduction in this risk, compared with teetotalers.

The authors put forward various suggestions as to why this might be so. Clearly some other mechanism must be involved – perhaps lowered pressure in pulmonary arteries, dilatation of arteries, or some other means. But we don’t have to wait until all is explained; we can take advantage of the finding and continue to drink in moderation with a good feeling - and remembering that drinking more than moderately is clearly extremely unhealthy!