Drinking every day may help heart by reducing stress

PEOPLE who have one or two drinks a day have a 20 per cent lower chance of a heart attack compared with those who are teetotal, a study has found.

Scientists have found that moderate drinking – one a day for women and two for men – may help the heart by dampening stress-related signals in the brain.

The research, presented at the American College of Cardiology’s annual meeting, is based on the healthcare records of more than 53,000 people. Scientists have stopped short, however, of advocating alcohol to reduce stress, pointing to negative side-effects. They advise other therapy, such as yoga.

The participants were divided into those who described their self-reported intake as low (less than one drink a week), moderate (one to 14) or high (more than 14).

About 15 per cent experienced an adverse cardiovascular event, with 17 per cent in the low intake group and 13 per cent in the moderate group. Some of these patients had brain scans to measure activities in the regions associated with stress, such as the amygdala and the frontal cortex.

Compared with low or no alcohol intake, those drinking in moderation had a 20 per cent lower chance of a major cardiovascular event and lower stress-related brain activity.

Dr Kenechukwu Mezue, at Massachusetts General Hospital, said: “Stressrelated activity in the brain was higher in non-drinkers than people who drank moderately, while people who drank excessively had the highest level of stress-related brain activity.

“Moderate amounts of alcohol may have effects on the brain that can help you relax, reduce stress and, perhaps through these mechanisms, lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Moderate alcohol intake beneficially impacts the brain-heart connection.

“However, alcohol has several side effects, including an increased risk of cancer, liver damage and dependence, so other interventions with better side effect profiles are needed.”

Previous research has indicated that moderate drinking could slow cognitive decline, protecting against dementia.

A paper last year by the University of Georgia found that people who enjoyed a regular drink, up to two a day, were a third less likely to have decreased cognitive function than teetotallers.

Another study at the conference showed that young and middle-aged adults with depression or anxiety after recovering from a heart attack were more than twice as likely to suffer a second cardiac event within five years.