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2 min read
The Real Scoop on Alcohol and Heart Health
Dec. 13, 2023 – You may have read articles about how a glass of red wine a day can improve heart health, or a study that showed how light to moderate drinking, in general, is linked to a lower risk of heart and blood vessel problems. The reality, however, is much more complicated, new research suggests.
A recent study delved into the impact of alcohol consumption on our metabolites – small molecules produced through metabolic processes – and what the presence of certain metabolites means for the risk of cardiovascular disease. The findings revealed that the metabolic traces left behind by drinking are, in many cases, linked with higher cardiovascular risks. Yet, to add to the already confusing picture, the study also discovered that some metabolites from alcohol use were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study findings were recently published in BMC Medicine. The researchers used data from 2,428 adults who had multiple in-person health examinations over 20 years.
Studies about drinking and health risks are especially challenging to conduct thoroughly, said Chunyu Liu, PhD, one of the study’s lead authors and a biostatistics professor at the BU School of Public Health. She explained that there aren’t many randomized controlled trials in this area, which is the gold standard for research. Instead, drinking habits must either be observed or self-reported by the people being studied, who might be conservative in their reporting of alcohol use to their doctors.
Liu highlighted that despite the study’s mixed messages about alcohol use and cardiovascular disease, the scope of the literature sends a clear message: If you don’t drink, don’t start now. And if you do drink, keep it to moderate levels.
Deepak Bhatt, MD, MPH, a top cardiovascular health expert from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, has the same message for patients. He also hopes that people do not become mislead by catchy headlines that sound promising for alcohol enthusiasts curious about their health.
“There’s no question that alcohol is bad for health in general,” Bhatt said. “The real question is whether or not there’s a ‘sweet spot,’ say where a glass of wine a day is protective for heart disease, which is commonly believed by the media, patients, and even doctors – but the evidence for this is extremely weak.”