Alcohol and its benefits

kent · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:02 pm Post subject: Alcohol and its benefits

Last Updated: Saturday, 8 March 2008, 00:34 GMT

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Alcohol 'quickly' cuts heart risk

Wine was found to have the biggest effect on heart disease
Middle-aged non-drinkers can quickly reduce their risk of heart disease by introducing a daily tipple to their diet, South Carolina researchers say.
New moderate drinkers were 38% less likely to develop heart disease than those who stayed tee-total, a four-year study involving 7,500 people found.
Those who drank only wine showed the most benefit, the researchers reported in the American Medical Journal.
But cardiac experts warned alcohol was not a panacea for good heart health.
The results came from a study of 7,500 people taking part in a trial to look at risk factors for atherosclerosis - hardening of the arteries.

For carefully selected individuals, a 'heart healthy diet' may include limited alcohol consumption even among individuals who have not included alcohol previously

Dr Dana King
Study leader
None of them drank alcohol at the start of the study but 6% began to drink moderate amounts - one drink per day or fewer for women and two drinks per day or fewer for men - during the course of the research.
The reduced cardiovascular risk remained when the researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina took into account physical activity, body mass index, demographic and cardiac risk factors.
There was no difference in deaths over the four-year follow up.
Cholesterol
Those who stuck to wine had the biggest reduction in cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, compared with non-drinkers, heavy drinkers or those who drank other types of alcohol.
The study also found some improvement in HDL or "good" cholesterol in those who took up drinking.
Despite several studies showing an association with alcohol intake and reduced cardiovascular risk, guidance from the American Heart Association warns people not to start drinking if they do not already drink alcohol.
Study leader Dana King said he was surprised that the effect was so large and so quick.
"For carefully selected individuals, a 'heart healthy diet' may include limited alcohol consumption even among individuals who have not included alcohol previously," he said.
However, Dr King said the benefits had to be weighed with caution against known adverse effects of drinking alcohol and it would not be advised in some people such as those with liver problems or cancer.
"I know there's concerns about binge drinking but that is not the type of drinking pattern we're seeing here.
"When we say seven drinks a week, we mean one a day not seven drinks on a Saturday night."
Judy O'Sullivan, cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said the study added to the evidence that alcohol in moderation provides some protection for the heart.

Hmmmmm I should live for ever! Rolling Eyes

Harun · Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:20 pm Post subject:

I have read this article somewhere and found it interesting in a way when some people tend to forget the side effect of 'things'. Alcohol is probably one of those thing created for human to 'enjoy life' and more recently 'improve health' they say. Enjoyment or health improvement of this kind tend to be subtle and probably negligible. What it bring to us is 'addiction' to that subtle happiness and lead to more alcohol intakes and eventually lead liver cancer! Rolling Eyes

yourstruly · Just started Joined: Feb 20, 2008 Posts: 71 Location: lab

everything in moderation...

...MODERATION...

tsk tsk

yourstruly Help

yun · LOC Junior Joined: Nov 11, 2007 Posts: 703

moderate..im confuse..

LC · LOC Senior Joined: Feb 19, 2007 Posts: 2250

i agree with harun.. if beer/alcoholic drinks were to be invented today, i absolutely agree 100% it will be banned..

kent · Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:54 pm Post subject:

But they wern't were they? So since even 3500 years ago, part of the day payment for a pyramid builer was in beer, and if one then considers how many people since have imbibed, and look at even modern "Addiction" figures, you will find that it is a very, very small percentage. And don't you think that your comment "It would be banned" is at the best, hypothetical? Mr. Green

kent · Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:01 pm Post subject:

I now add this little gem......

Mr. Green

yourstruly · Just started Joined: Feb 20, 2008 Posts: 71 Location: lab

kent · Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:34 pm Post subject:

I think the Latin phrase is Q. E D. Which translated for those who did not have the benefit of a classical education means:
Thus it has been proved.
The defense rests its case m' Lud. Mr. Green

kent · Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:39 pm Post subject:

This was what i was trying to paste:

To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine.. and those who don't.

As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) - bacteria found in faeces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.
However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.
Remember: Water = Poop, Wine = Health
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of s**t .

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service

I think the Latin phrase is Q. E D. Which translated for those who did not have the benefit of a classical education means:
Thus it has been proved.
The defense rests its case m' Lud. Mr. Green

LC · LOC Senior Joined: Feb 19, 2007 Posts: 2250

kent · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:07 am Post subject:

again not factual. you have made a statement without qualifing it. therefore it can mean all things to all people. a day is 24 hours. a normal liver can metabolise one unit of alcohol per hour. One litre of beer is 3 tins. so according to you 3 tins a day will result in death? Total nonsense..... Mr. Green

Sounds like the ramblings of a non drinker who has some mental hangups.... Relax and have a beer! Wink

LC · LOC Senior Joined: Feb 19, 2007 Posts: 2250

i see that you're the only one that think that beer/alcohol is beneficial.. well, you created this thread so go ahead and say what u want.. still, if beer/alcohol were to be invented today, surely it'll be banned..

Harun · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:25 am Post subject:

All the facts about the benefits of alcohol are hypothetical and largely extracted from internet literatures. There are no medical journals acknowledging these claims as far as doctors are concerned. Concerning the intake poops...come on! this is a ridiculous analogy. We all know our white blood cells will neautralise these bacteria so there is no point of us being sceptic in drinking water. Alcohol is alcohol, water is water, they are totaly different in nature except for the fact it quenches our thirst to be sober or not! its our choice Mr. Green

kent · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:50 am Post subject:

Ahha! So your contention is that any alcohol intake makes a person inebriated? One only drinks alcohol to get drunk? Is that your point? Just asking............................. If alcohol were to be invented today, I could equally put up a hypothetical argument, and thus just as valid, or invalid as yours LC, that it would be regarded as a wonder liquid.......
He He He, I'm enjoyong this Evil or Very Mad