Starting to Drink Late in Life Isn't Heart Smart

Taking up drinking later in life specifically to ward off heart problems may not be a good idea.

Indeed, their study found that men who took up regular drinking in middle age did not reduce their risk of fatal heart attack. And new drinkers seemed to have a slightly greater risk of dying of other causes compared with life-long occasional drinkers or teetotalers.

There is no good reason to encourage older men who do not drink or who only drink occasionally to take up regular drinking for the sake of their health -- despite this being recommended by many physicians. Whatever small benefit there may be for heart attacks is more than offset by the increase in other causes of death.

Population studies have found lower rates of heart attacks among drinkers and higher rates among those who abstain. Some doctors have used this research as the basis for advising moderate amounts of drinking. However, the investigators attempted to test whether beginning drinking actually prevented heart attacks and death.

According to the report the researchers did find that men who took up regular drinking (usually a switch from two drinks or less per month to one to two drinks per day) were less likely to have a heart attack than the men who were lifelong occasional drinkers or teetotalers.

However, the men who began regularly drinking were no less likely to actually die of heart disease than the men who consistently abstained, and were somewhat more likely to die of other illnesses, such as cancer.

The finding that non-drinkers experience higher rates of cardiovascular disease and death could be caused by the fact that those in poor health may abstain from drinking alcohol.

The role of alcohol in preventing heart attacks and diminishing death rates may well turn out to be one of the major medical myths of our time. That the 'protective' effects of alcohol have been hyped by the medical profession as well as the alcohol industry is a sad state of affairs.

Heart January 2002;87:32-36

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

An interesting piece of information for those who use studies to justify their regular consumption of alcohol.

This does not appear to be a wise choice, as there are far better foods that would provide health benefits than alcohol. The eating plan is a good place to start.

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Moderate Drinking May Not Lengthen Your Life