The Troubling Truth About Drinking in Moderation
It appears that no amount of alcohol is good for you.
It turns out that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol daily does not—as previously thought—protect against heart disease or contribute to a longer life. Apologies if your alcohol consumption depends in part on this popular belief and (until now) useful rationalization. For decades, scientific studies suggested moderate drinking was better for most people’s health than not drinking at all, and could even boost longevity. But, a new analysis of more than 40 years of research has concluded that many of those studies were flawed and that the opposite is true. Just published in JAMA Network Open, this meta-analysis reviewed 107 observational studies that involved more than 4.8 million people. The massive study stressed that previous estimates of the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption on the risk of death by “all causes” — meaning anything, including heart disease, cancer, infections, and automobile accidents — were “significantly” biased by flaws in study design. According to the researchers, earlier research did not adjust for numerous factors that could influence the outcome, for example, age, sex, economic status, and lifestyle behaviors such as exercise, smoking, and diet. Using statistical software, they essentially removed such bias, adjusting for various factors that could skew the research. After doing so, there were no significant declines in the risk of death by any cause among the moderate drinkers.[1] While these previous observational studies could identify potential links or correlations, they could also be misleading and didn’t prove cause and effect. Moreover, they failed to recognize that many light and moderate drinkers had other healthy habits and advantages and that non-drinkers used as a comparison group often included people who had given up alcohol after developing health problems. This represents the largest study to effectively call B.S. on the widely held belief that moderate drinking of wine or other alcoholic beverages is healthy. In contrast, it found that the risk of numerous health problems, as well as that of dying prematurely, increased significantly after less than two drinks per day for women and after three per day for men. This data adds to that of another substantial meta-analysis from 2022 in which researchers in Britain examined genetic and medical data of nearly 400,000 people and concluded that alcohol consumption at all levels was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.[2] The modern-day belief that daily alcohol consumption promotes health emerged in the 1980s, when researchers identified the so-called “French paradox,” which suggested that low rates of cardiovascular disease among men in France was associated with daily wine consumption. Although later analyses found flaws in the research, the idea that moderate drinking improved health became broadly accepted. Wine—particularly red wine—developed a reputation for having health benefits after news stories highlighted its high concentration of resveratrol, a protective antioxidant also found in blueberries and cranberries. However, the hypothesis that moderate alcohol use is health-enhancing has come under increasing scrutiny over the years as the alcohol industry’s role in funding research became clear, revealing that many of the studies that purport the alleged health effects of alcohol have been funded by that industry. A 2020 report found that 13,500 studies have been directly or indirectly paid for by the alcohol industry.[3] Concurrently, a range of other studies has found that even moderate consumption of alcohol—including red wine—may contribute to cancers of the breast, esophagus, head and neck, high blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation, a serious heart arrhythmia. Dietary guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommend that adults limit alcohol intake to two drinks or fewer a day for men and one drink or less for women, adding “that drinking less is better for health than drinking more.” The guidelines also warn that even drinking within the recommended limits may increase the overall risk of death attributable to various causes, including some types of cancer and heart disease, even at levels of less than one drink per day.[4] This past January, Canada issued new guidelines warning that no amount of alcohol consumption is healthy and urges people to reduce drinking as much as possible. Issued by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, the new guidance was a significant departure from its 2011 guidelines, which recommended women limit themselves to no more than 10 standard drinks a week and men no more than 15.[5] Alcohol is the most used recreational drug, and unfortunately, for those who enjoy drinking for relaxation and recreation, this is unwelcome news. As comforting as it might be to think that it’s good for one’s health, increasingly the science simply does not support it. The extensive new research decimates the hope of many that moderate alcohol use is healthy and makes clear that people should not drink alcohol for the express purpose of improving their health. If maintaining and/or improving health is your priority, in terms of alcohol consumption, less is more. reference: psychology today link: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/some-assembly-required/202304/alcohol-is-not-good-for-your-health-even-in-moderation
Hi Professor Regarding your article, I must say that, unfortunately, the rate of drinking alcohol in our society today is increasing, and the risk of heart attack has also increased with it. Alcohol causes miscarriage in mothers, heart attack and kidney problems in people, and with this amount of The negative things is that people are still addicted to drinking it. A basic plan should be planned to get rid of its addiction.
Drinking alcohol causes many problems for people and society. Drinking alcohol causes premature aging and various cancers and liver and kidney problems. I hope that one day all people will be aware of the problems that alcohol consumption causes for them and stop drinking alcohol. Avoid alcohol
in addition to liver problems, drinking cause brain operation disorder. so we come to conclusion that why do we put our selves in a game that we know there is no wining in it.
If you’re histamine intolerant or histamine sensitive, alcohol will trigger it and cause things like:
Sneezing/allergy symptoms
Severe menstrual symptoms
Horrible mood/feelings of depression for the few days after drinking
Hi Professor In my opinion, the effects of alcohol on the nerves of the brain and even its neurons are very destructive, and it is clear that continuous consumption of alcohol causes irreparable brain and nervous problems, so it is better to avoid its consumption.
drinking cause lots of problems and sadly there is so many alcoholics in the society. liver problems is one this problems. on the other hand drinking cause mental problems and everyone ignores you because of your bad behavior.
Hello professor, thank you for your good article, I completely agree with your words in the article and I think that frequent and heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages increases the possibility of disease and heart attacks in a person. Those who constantly use a large amount of alcoholic beverages, risks such as blood pressure, heart attack, etc. will threaten them more.
Unfortunately, some people give non-scientific reasons to justify their work, and if it is proven that their work was wrong, they get angry and continue more. In order to maintain our health, we must avoid things that are harmful, one of which is alcohol.
I am very happy. I read this until now, he is twenty years old, and almost half of my friends are alcohol drinkers, and I have not used alcohol as an experience.
I am a father and I am very happy. I read this until now, he is twenty years old, and almost half of my friends are alcohol drinkers.
The effect of drugs and alcohol on the brain is sometimes overlooked. Most people turn to alcohol to escape from stress and anxiety. These people don’t know that most of the alcohol users are prone to suffering from all kinds of anxiety. Disorders such as phobias and panic are considered among the side effects of alcohol consumption.
Hello Sir ,
It was always obvious that alcohol is not good for health. And just people who were addicted to it used to say that it’s good for health and … or also the companies of them. Actually they were somehow play with people lives and it’s a positive point that researchers declined this idea and as you mentioned, said that its little is still more.
Hello master,
I always believe it that even a little amount of alcohol is a lot because its little amout couses many bad affects in your body and after drinking , it is completely obvious.
Omid Takook
As the student of the Feeling and Perception Course on Fridays at 12:30, my opinion and comment about this essay is:
Moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, liver disease, and heart problems.
Drinking too much alcohol can lead to a range of negative consequences such as impaired judgment and coordination, increased risk of accidents and injuries, liver damage, addiction, and even death. It can also have a negative impact on mental health and relationships.
Therefore, it is important to be aware of the potential risks associated with alcohol consumption and to drink in moderation or avoid it altogether if necessary.
It’s a shame to see many people falling for false studies that are secretly advertisement tools for companies.
In the past few years, new studies started to prove opposite of our beliefs. CDC(Center of disease and control) recent researches are a proof. according to them, alcohol increase the chances of high blood pressure, heart disease and different types of cancer in the long run even if consumed correctly.
Omid Takook
As the student of the Feeling and Perception Course on Fridays at 12:30, my opinion and comment about this essay is:
Moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, liver disease, and heart problems.
Drinking too much alcohol can lead to a range of negative consequences such as impaired judgment and coordination, increased risk of accidents and injuries, liver damage, addiction, and even death. It can also have a negative impact on mental health and relationships.
Therefore, it is important to be aware of the potential risks associated with alcohol consumption and to drink in moderation or avoid it altogether if necessary.
Unfortunately, alcohol causes the disease you mentioned, and even worse after the research of the University of Arizona, it became clear that alcohol causes premature aging as well as eliminating wisdom healt.This article will be very useful for teens
Alcohol consumption causes heart problems, cancer, immune system problems and liver diseases.
Also, alcoholic drink leads to mental and mood disorders.
Publishing old and incorrect articles can have irreparable effects on the society
Hi
It’s a shame to see many people fall for false studies that are secretly advertisement tools for companies.
In the past few years, new studies started to prove opposite of our beliefs. CDC(Center of disease and control) recent researches are a proof. according to them, alcohol increase the chances of high blood pressure, heart disease and different types of cancer in the long run even if consumed correctly.
Using too much alcohol can damage all living organs, but it affects the brain, heart, medicine, pancreas and immune system the most. Closer, immune system response defect, irregular heartbeat, cirrhosis of the patient and increased risk of cancer. In a small group of people, long-term, heavy and inappropriate alcohol consumption can lead to cognitive impairment and dementia. For the development of the spread of alcoholism in societies, efforts are made to get a level of people.
Using too much alcohol can damage all living organs, but it affects the brain, heart, medicine, pancreas and immune system the most. Closer, immune system response defect, irregular heartbeat, cirrhosis of the patient and increased risk of cancer. In a small group of people, long-term, heavy and inappropriate alcohol consumption can lead to cognitive impairment and dementia. For the development of the spread of alcoholism in societies, efforts are made to get a level of people
Excessive use of alcohol can damage all living organs, but most of all it affects the brain, heart, liver, pancreas and immune system. Alcoholism can lead to mental illness, drunken delusions, short-term memory problems, immune system response defects, irregular heartbeat, liver cirrhosis and increased risk of cancer. In a small group of people, long-term, heavy and improper use of alcohol leads to cognitive impairment and dementia. In order to prevent the spread of alcoholism in society, efforts have been made to lower people’s stress levels.
The article The Disturbing Truth About Drinking in Moderation interestingly addresses the issue of drinking alcohol and its effects on health. Considering these facts, it is best to always keep in mind that drinking alcohol in any amount, even in moderation It may be harmful to health. Therefore, it is better to drink alcohol in any form, use the least amount possible and if possible, it is recommended to avoid it completely.
Contrary to the fact that some people believe that alcohol is good for humans, it also has negative effects on the body and mind. Consuming too much alcohol over time causes a person to suffer from the following: liver problems, cancer, heart problems, weak immune system, antisocial personality disorder, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, sometimes depression, etc.
Hi
The effects of alcohol consumption, both in terms of addiction and physical and mental problems
It is evident according to research and statistics
Researchers believe that there are strong reasons that drinking alcohol increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer, among which cancers of the mouth and throat, larynx, esophagus, liver, small and large intestine, and breast are most associated with drinking alcohol.
“Alcohol dissolves our ability to think straight.” A calm person who usually does not fall into the trap of fighting with others, when he consumes alcohol, he shows aggressive reactions and enters into fights without considering the consequences.
According to psychologists, anxiety sometimes protects us and warns us not to get into bad situations, but when we have been drinking, this warning system goes off. Also, constant consumption of alcohol causes a decrease in the serotonin hormone, which is responsible for the feeling of happiness and brings depression.
Drinking alcohol also has a bad effect on your relationships with your spouse, family, friends.
Alcohol consumption causes many psychological problems, including mood disorders, antisocial personality disorder, anxiety disorder, suicide, etc.
Long-term alcohol consumption has harmful effects on the body, especially on the liver, which is not fully compensated even after quitting alcohol. Alcohol addiction is much more destructive than other drug addiction. It also affects, for example, a person who has consumed alcohol becomes angry much faster than normal
hi dear professor
i think the scientist have to think about why most of people drink alcoholic drinks and help them.
In my opinion, as stated in the article,alcohol, especially red wine, has many marketing aspects.To control the mind in stressful and stimulating situations,we can replace alcohol with exercise, snacks,etc.To establish a balance in our ethics and character.
The use of alcohol in any amount is not appropriate.Alcohol can irreparably affect the organs of the body, including the brain and others
Hello, dear professor
Even small amounts of alcohol can impair judgment and coordination, and over time, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a range of health problems, including liver disease, cancer, and heart disease.
And I read in an article that it can gradually block dopamine receptors. It is better to go to a therapist to get rid of alcohol addiction and gradually stop it.
Good time, dear teacher I am niloofar khoshdel from Iranian University. It was interesting to me that alcohol was once mentioned as a healthy food and it is strange! In my opinion, drinking alcohol not only affects brain cells directly and changes brain function, but also in the long term. A long time can also leave a destructive effect on the mental states of the consumers. And even the root of drinking alcohol can be the background of genetic tendency, depression, despair, etc., in order not to use it, the reason for its use must be correctly identified by a psychologist. And the disappointing point is that after a period of use and dependence of the brain on alcohol consumption, people no longer pay attention to its harmful physical effects…
In my view point and as it was mentioned in the article the prior belief about moderate usage of alcohol specially red wine was mostly related to marketing aspects and unfortunately underestimating human beings health!
I do also think, its mostly related to control our mind in any stressful or triggering situation and replace drinking the alcohol with something else such as exercise to balance out the mood.
Despite the public belief, I could never believe that alcohol is useful
How unfortunate that the world’s rich and wealthy trade with human lives, and even worse, those people who are easily deceived by these investigations.
According to your informative material, dear teacher, in my opinion, alcohol is more prevalent among teenagers and young people, and as responsible parents, we should inform teenagers about the dangers of alcohol and make friends with them so that they don’t tend towards it.
good luck
Also, people who drink alcohol have a weak immune system and are vulnerable to illness very quickly.
Another disadvantage of alcohol consumption and its effect on the brain is that it can cloud your judgment and pave the way for harmful decisions, the CDC says. Too much alcohol can cause alcohol poisoning, which is an emergency and can be fatal.
hi
Alcohol is more addictive than we think
Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with high addictive properties and its consumption causes severe physical and mental effects such as depression and types of cancer on the user.
Psychological counseling is necessary to quit alcohol
Alcoholism is a brain disease that involves mental dimensions more than physical dimensions. Therefore, after medical procedures such as detoxification, it will be very important to participate in psychotherapy sessions. In the first step, it is necessary to discover the cause of addiction and the problems that have led to the person’s tendency to alcohol. To be able to take steps to reduce the problems and eliminate the causes of addiction by interacting more with the patient. During the sessions, the patient changes his attitude and perspective towards alcoholism and prepares for a positive and constructive start. The addicted person learns the necessary skills to deal with external stimuli and the temptations of consumption, and can also follow the treatment steps with more patience and motivation. to experience a successful and non-returning leave.