Have a drink − to your health New research suggests that moderate alcohol consumption may reduce not just heart problems, but also stress. Here’s what to consider before pouring your next Chardonnay. If you’ve been following health news for the past few years, you’ve probably heard that moderate alcohol consumption can protect your heart. A new study has reached a similar conclusion, but with a twist: the Massachusetts-based study, which involved more than 50,000 patients with an average age of 57, showed that moderate drinking may help reduce stress. Specifically, the moderate drinkers in the study had lower levels of stress-related activity in the amygdala (part of the brain) compared to low and high imbibers. What’s moderate, anyway? In the study, the term referred to a range of one to 14 drinks per week. Anything more was defined as a high level of drinking, while subjects who capped their alcohol use at one drink per week or fewer earned the title of low users. Consistent with the results of more than 100 previous investigations, the study found moderate drinking to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events by 20 per cent − after adjusting for socioeconomic and lifestyle variations − compared to low or frequent drinking. The researchers speculated that the “brain-heart connection” may explain some of the cardiovascular benefits of drinking in moderation. According to HarvardMedical School researcher KenechukwuMezue, who reported on the findings in a press briefing, “moderate amounts of alcohol may have effects on the brain that can help you relax, reduce stress levels and, perhaps through these mechanisms, lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease.” Dr. Mezue cautioned against interpreting the findings as an invitation to guzzle freely, as “alcohol intake in excess is associated with a lot of harm” such as liver disease and a higher risk of several cancers. Another thing to consider: many experts define moderate drinking as up to 14 drinks per week in men and seven in women, but the study didn’t make this distinction. Rather than encouraging more drinking, Dr. Mezue said he hoped the study would prompt the exploration of “new therapies to reduce stress without the harmful effects of alcohol.” A related study by the same research team found exercise to have an equally salutary effect on stress-related brain activity − the more exercise, the lower the activity − as well as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and events. If these findings bear out, the “new therapies” Dr. Mezue envisions may well include good old-fashioned exercise. So, if a doctor hands you a prescription for statins and yoga, you’ll know why. Health The pandemic effect From quarantinis to virtual happy hours, drinking is one of the few activities that didn’t slow down during the COVID-19 pandemic. A study commissioned by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction last spring found that two out of 10 people sheltering at home were drinking more than usual. Men were more apt to cite boredom as a reason, while more women blamed stress. Whatever the motive, more drinking means a greater chance of landing on the wrong side of the moderation line. In fact, a U.S. study teased out a link between “time spent at home” during the pandemic and the risk of binge drinking − something to watch for as the pandemic enters its (hopefully) final stretch. by Gabrielle Bauer 34 | www.snowbirds.org
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