Alcohol health risks outweigh benefits
It probably delighted some, and surprised many, to see the news that having one to two drinks of alcohol per day could actually decrease a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In the 2000s, research was showing that women who had one drink, and men who had up to two drinks per day, were less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
Headlines were made and we were told that one to two drinks per day was part of a healthy diet and would likely help us to live longer, healthier lives. However, as they often do, things have changed in the world of nutritional research.
The largest ever examination of the effect of alcohol on health was published on Aug. 24 in the journal The Lancet. This study examined alcohol-related health outcomes between 1990 to 2016 across 195 countries and territories.
Based on the results of this study, it was estimated that 32.5 per cent of people (2.4 billion) worldwide were drinkers in 2016. The results also showed that drinking alcohol increased a person’s risk of many diseases and injuries including: stroke, cancers, diabetes, epilepsy, respiratory infections, violence, drowning, car accidents and more. It was also found that about three million deaths were attributed to alcohol use in 2016 and about 12 per cent of deaths in males aged 15 to 49 were attributed to alcohol use.
“There is a compelling and urgent need to overhaul policies to encourage either lowering people’s levels of alcohol consumption or abstaining entirely. The myth that one or two drinks a day are good for you is just that — a myth. This study shatters that myth,” said Dr. Emmanuela Gakidou, senior study author from the University of Washington.
“With the largest collected evidence base to date, our study makes the relationship between health and alcohol clear — drinking causes substantial health loss, in myriad ways, all over the world,” added Max Griswold, senior researcher and lead author of the study.
It is worth noting that this study did not distinguish between beer, wine and liquor because, to date, there is a lack of evidence supporting any difference in health effects between each type of alcoholic drink. So, wine is not likely to be better for you than beer or hard liquor when equal amounts of alcohol are drank. The full report is free to read and you can find it here if you’d like to learn more about the effects of alcohol on health: doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(18) 31310-2.
Do you have questions about the effects of alcohol, and beverage choices in general, on your health? Ask your naturopathic doctor.
Dr. Colin Macleod ND is a naturopathic doctor practicing full-time in Upper Tantallon at Macleod Naturopathic. His practice focuses on pain management and maintaining health through physical activity and diet. Visit him online at drcolinmacleod.com.