Alcohol & Health
Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol daily, such as two 12-ounce beers or two 5-ounce glasses of wine, offers some health benefits, especially for the heart. It can reduce your risk of developing heart disease and peripheral vascular disease, lowers your risk of developing gallstones, and possibly reduces your risk of stroke and diabetes. Anything more than moderate drinking can lead to serious health problems, however, including strokes; pancreatitis; cancer of the liver, pancreas, mouth, larynx or esophagus; heart-muscle damage; high blood pressure; and cirrhosis of the liver.
Recently Answered
- Q How does alcohol affect the elderly?
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Even if you don't imbibe more as a senior than you did throughout your life, alcohol will affect you more intensely. That's because as we age, we lose lean body mass and take on body fat. Body fat decreases the body's amount of water. Alcohol is soluble... Full Answer
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- Q Is happy hour good for the heart?
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It seems that a couple of beers after you finish work for the day can help raise your HDL cholesterol. This is the good kind of cholesterol, which can help prevent plaque buildup. Most medical professionals are not ready to proclaim happy hour as a... Full Answer
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- Q I know beer is given out at running events. Is it a good sports beverage?
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No. Alcoholic beverages are not appropriate for sports, before, during, or right after. Alcohol slows motor skills and can cause dehydration, so it is an extremely poor choice of beverage for sport. Due to the marketing campaigns of many... Full Answer
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- Q Should I cut back on drinking as I age?
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Alcohol affects older people more intensely than younger people because of changes in body chemistry as we age. So you might not know your limits as well as you once did. For seniors, alcohol can increase the risk of falls and car crashes. Plus, alcohol... Full Answer
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