Tipple Trouble

A new UK study has found a strong link between alcohol and hardening of the arteries, with the researchers warning that one pint of beer a day (over several years) could be enough to increase a man’s risk of heart disease by prematurely ageing their arteries.

It seems that in men (but interestingly not in women), drinking affects the elasticity of the arterial walls, by activating certain enzymes that lead to the accumulation of collagen, which, in turn, exacerbates the rate of stiffening of the arteries.

The effect was noticed in men who consume seven pints of beer or cider a week, or the equivalent in spirits – one drink per night, every night.