Moderate drinking typically refers to up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Overconsumption can quickly nullify any potential positive effects and lead to harmful outcomes. The research, conducted on mice, found that binge drinking-related arrhythmias are linked to increased levels of a stress-induced protein called JNK2. This protein causes heart cells to mishandle calcium and misfire, resulting in rapid or irregular heartbeats. Moderate drinking — one drink a day for women and two for men — appears to protect some people against heart disease. The eight-week study compared menopausal rats given regular alcohol exposure to those given both alcohol and estrogen replacement.
It also notes that excessive alcohol intake could also increase the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart attack. Some indicate alcohol protects against cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. It now appears that alcohol is not the healthy elixir once thought. Growing evidence suggests that not only won’t alcohol lower your risk for cardiovascular disease, but consuming moderate amounts may even increase it. The study also revealed large differences in cardiovascular risk across the spectrum of alcohol consumption.
Consistent with earlier studies, the light and moderate drinkers had the lowest heart disease risk (even better than people who abstained from drinking). “Instead, most research has found that, in general, people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol often have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.” A 2022 study notes that while some evidence indicates a potential cardioprotective benefit of light to moderate alcohol intake, these benefits may instead relate to other factors.
While moderate drinking may have some benefits, excessive drinking and binge drinking can increase the risk of heart disease. It’s essential to understand the effects alcohol has on the heart and make informed decisions about your drinking habits. By consuming alcohol in moderation and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, you can help protect your heart and reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases. When consumed in moderation, alcohol, especially red wine, is often linked to improved heart health. Studies have shown that moderate drinking may help raise levels of good cholesterol (HDL) in the blood, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
dr vu cardiologist
Anyone taking medication for heart-related conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and angina should check whether their medication interacts with alcohol. If it does, doctors advise not consuming alcohol, as a person may experience a serious reaction. Health experts may also advise individuals with cardiovascular disease or other chronic conditions to avoid alcohol if possible. This is particularly true with excessive drinking behaviors, such as binge and heavy drinking.
- The effect of alcohol on cardiovascular health is complicated.
- If it’s more than recommended, try to consciously pace your drinking to help reduce the spike in your blood pressure that excessive alcohol causes.
- You may find you eat more than you usually would or make less healthy food choices when you drink too.
- Too many episodes of tachycardia could lead to more serious issues like heart failure or going into irregular rhythms, which can cause heart attack and stroke.
Alcohol and heart conditions
- Consequently, this increases blood pressure and the amount of blood pumped out of the heart.
- Newer research indicates that drinking alcohol, even within the recommended limits, could increase the risk of several types of cancer and even cardiovascular disease.
- All of the above drinks contain about the same amount of alcohol, despite their different sizes.
Speak to your doctor if you often experience a high heart rate or palpitations. They may advise you to cut back on drinking if you find alcohol triggers your symptoms. Alcohol is a part of many people’s lives and can be hard to avoid. However, drinking more than the recommended amount can be harmful to your heart and general health.
Main Content
If you’re an occasional drinker, there’s no cause for worry. But it may be worthwhile learning about what counts as binge drinking and whether or not you may be drinking too much and don’t even know it. The recommended limits outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are two drinks per day for males and one drink per day for females. Alcohol, in particular, can increase the risk of several conditions that fall under the term CVD. Read on to learn more about the effect of alcohol on heart health. The effect of alcohol on cardiovascular health is complicated.
That means, if you’re living with other medical conditions and/or taking certain medications, this will all have an impact on how alcohol affects you. Alcohol by volume (ABV) is a measure of how much alcohol is in a given drink. Drinks with a higher concentration of alcohol have a higher ABV. The size of a serving — as set by the Department of Agriculture — depends on how strong that drink is. The World Heart Federation (WHF) is an umbrella organisation representing the global cardiovascular community, uniting patient, scientific and civil society groups. Together with its Members, WHF influences policies, shares knowledge and inspires behaviour change to achieve heart health for everyone.
However, no level of regular alcohol intake improves health, and it’s not a good idea to drink wine to protect your heart. According to 2022 research, any amount of alcohol can have a negative impact on the heart and cardiovascular system. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that people avoid drinking when possible. However, if someone wants to drink, it is best to stay within the recommended limits. Researchers have uncovered new insights into how alcohol affects heart health, particularly in relation to irregular heartbeats and hormone replacement therapy. Binge drinking — four or more drinks for women and five or more for men in about 2 hours — can cause irregular heart rhythms called arrhythmias.
Can Alcohol Be Part of a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle?
Looking closer, the research team found that as a group, light to moderate drinkers had healthier habits than abstainers. In general, they were more physically active, ate more vegetables and less red meat, and didn’t smoke. Drinking alcohol is a common trigger of abnormal heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation. You may find cutting down or not drinking at all can help to improve your symptoms. If you have already been diagnosed with a heart condition, speak to your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to drink alcohol.
It’s also important to know that the ways in which alcohol affects your heart will vary from person to person, depending on your age and other conditions you may have. Get started today before this once in a lifetime opportunity expires. If you’re worried, speak to your GP or get in touch with a drink awareness charity. Alcohol also causes damage to the liver over time, especially if you drink too much. Sign up to our fortnightly Heart Matters newsletter to receive healthy recipes, new activity ideas, and expert tips for managing your health. That’s about 4 pints of normal strength beer (4 per cent ABV) for men or 3 pints for women.
Whether it’s facts about alcohol and heart health a glass of red wine with your turkey or toasting champagne for the new year, alcohol definitely becomes more present during the holiday season. And while enjoying celebratory spirits in moderation is alright for most people, it’s important to be aware you can fall victim to holiday heart syndrome if you overdo it. This is when overeating and overindulging in alcohol lead to an irregular heartbeat. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults of legal drinking age try to avoid drinking alcohol if possible. But if a person decides to start drinking, they should consume it within the recommended limits.
All of the above drinks contain about the same amount of alcohol, despite their different sizes. Depending on the recipe, a mixed drink may contain one, two, or more standard drinks, as shown in a cocktail content calculator from the National Institutes of Health (see /cocktail). Intriguingly, alcohol‑free beer has shown small benefits for endothelial function, likely due to polyphenols minus ethanol. If you crave the ritual fizz, a 0.0 percent lager might scratch the itch without the cardiac toll—see the taste‑test in our piece on alcohol‑free beer. If you’re taking a medicine that directly affects your liver, such as statins, it’s particularly important not to drink more than the recommended amount, as this could cause even more damage. There are safer and healthier ways to protect and strengthen your heart, including doing more physical activity, keeping to a healthy weight and stopping smoking.
To get any health benefits from alcohol, keep your drinking light. Heavy drinking can make you more likely to get serious health problems like liver disease, cancer, and peptic ulcers, among others. Regular or high alcohol use can hurt your heart and lead to diseases of the heart muscle, called cardiomyopathy. Drinking alcohol regularly also can raise your blood pressure.
