Health News Update: More Bad News About Alcohol Consumption
Hello again everyone:
I do get asked frequently about alcohol, and I have to report what the latest research is saying:
“Aug. 14, 2024 – People over age 60 who drink alcohol regularly are at an increased risk of early death, particularly from cancer or issues related to the heart and blood vessels.
That's according to the findings of a new, large study that was published this week by JAMA Network Open and builds upon numerous other recent studies concluding that any amount of alcohol consumption is linked to significant health risks. That's a change from decades of public health messaging suggesting that moderate alcohol intake (one or two drinks per day) wasn't dangerous. Recently, experts have uncovered flaws in how researchers came to those earlier conclusions.”
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2822215
Bottom Line:
The more you drink, the poorer your health outcomes. While this issue is nuanced by the total amount consumed, it appears that any consumption at all does not confer health benefits of any kind but quite the opposite. So, to age well and avoid disease and suffering it seems extremely important to avoid alcohol. This is especially double true if there is any family history of dementia, cancer of any kind, depression, any type of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, kidney or liver disease, and hormonal issues.
“The researchers compared 12 years of health outcomes for occasional drinkers to those who averaged drinking at least some alcohol on a daily basis. The greatest health risks were seen between occasional drinkers and those whom the researchers labeled "high risk." Occasional drinkers had less than about two drinks per week. The high-risk group included men who averaged nearly three drinks per day or more, and women who averaged about a drink and a half per day or more. The analysis showed that compared to occasional drinking, high-risk drinking was linked to:
- A 33% increased risk of early death
- A 39% increased risk of dying from cancer
- A 21% increased risk of dying from problems with the heart and blood vessels.
More moderate drinking habits were also linked to an increased risk of early death and dying from cancer, and even just averaging about one drink or less daily was associated with an 11% higher risk of dying from cancer. Low and moderate drinkers were most at-risk if they also had health problems or experienced socioeconomic factors like living in less affluent neighborhoods.”
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/what-is-alcohol-abuse
This final link gives more insight into Alcohol Use Disorder signs and symptoms. Alcohol use can have immense negative influences on relationships of all kinds, personal and professional, so it is wise to take whatever steps are needed to step away from alcohol. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.
