http://www.physorg.com/news67853738.html
| Drinking every day chases heart disease away in men only: study |
| Drinking alcohol every day cuts the risk of heart disease among men but women who indulge less frequently enjoy the same benefits, according to a study published Friday in the British Medical Journal. |
| Men who drank alcohol daily had a lower risk of heart disease than men who drank less often, the Danish study found. Women who drank at least one day a week had a reduced risk of heart disease compared with those who were teetotal -- suggesting that consuming alcohol has some benefits. But the researchers found that it made little difference to the risk of heart disease whether women drank once a week or daily. Women downing drink every day were 36-percent less likely than non-drinkers to have heart disease while those drinking once a week were 35-percent less likely to suffer from the disease. In contrast, men who drank alcohol every day had a 41 percent reduced risk of heart disease compared to a seven-percent reduction for those who drank only once a week. "Among women, alcohol intake may be the primary determinant of the inverse association between drinking alcohol and risk of coronary heart disease," said the Centre for Alcohol Research in Denmark. "Whereas among men, drinking frequency, not alcohol intake, seems more important." The study was based on more than 50,000 Danish men and women aged 50 to 65. The participants' drinking habits were monitored for around six years. Age, diet and smoking habits were also taken into account. During the study, 2.6 percent of the female participants and 5.1 percent of the men developed heart disease. The researchers found that men consumed an average 11.3 alcoholic drinks per week and women consumed an average of 5.5. Health expert Annie Britton, from University College London, said doctors should find out how much their patients were drinking, in what context and why. "Unlike tobacco, the healthiest amount of alcohol for some people may not be zero," she said in the BMJ's editorial. "In the UK, levels of consumption have risen by more than 50 percent in the past 30 years. "As a population we are drinking well above the optimum level for health." Judy O'Sullivan, medical spokeswoman for the British Heart Foundation, said: "If you are teetotal you should not start consuming alcohol in order to reduce your risk of developing coronary heart disease. "However, if you enjoy alcohol you should be aware that the risks of drinking large quantities significantly outweigh any potential benefits. "It is best to stick to the recommended guidelines of no more than 14 units per week for women and 21 units a week for men -- and include a couple of alcohol-free nights per week as well." |