One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don't drink tend to die sooner than those who do.
a new paper in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggests that — for reasons that aren't entirely clear — abstaining from alcohol does tend to increase one's risk of dying, even when you exclude former problem drinkers. The most shocking part? Abstainers' mortality rates are higher than those of heavy drinkers.
Moderate drinking, which is defined as one to three drinks per day, is associated with the lowest mortality rates in alcohol studies.
But even after controlling for nearly all imaginable variables — socioeconomic status, level of physical activity, number of close friends, quality of social support and so on — the researchers (a six-member team led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin) found that over a 20-year period, mortality rates were highest for those who were not current drinkers, regardless of whether they used to be alcoholics, second highest for heavy drinkers and lowest for moderate drinkers.
The sample of those who were studied included individuals between ages 55 and 65 who had had any kind of outpatient care in the previous three years. The 1,824 participants between the ages of 55 and 65 were followed for 20 years.
While 69 percent of the abstainers died during the 20-year time span of the study, only 41 percent of moderate drinkers passed away. (Moderate drinkers were also 23 percent less likely to die than light drinkers.) But here’s the really weird data point: Heavy drinkers also live longer than abstainers. (Only 61 percent of heavy drinkers died during the study.)
We live in a reductionist age, in which every longitudinal effect is explained away at the most fundamental possible level. And so this study will no doubt lead researchers to probe the benefits of red wine, with its antioxidants and resveratrol. It will also lead people to explore the cardiovascular benefits of alcohol, since many of the perks of drinking (such as increased levels of HDL cholesterol) seem to extend to people who drink beer and hard liquor.
Let’s think, for a moment, about the cultural history of drinking. The first reason people consume booze is to relax, taking advantage of its anxiolytic properties. This is the proverbial drink after work -- after a eight hours of toil, there’s something deeply soothing about a dose of alcohol, which quiets the brain by up-regulating our GABA receptors. (But don’t get carried away: While the moderate consumption of alcohol might reduce the stress response, blood alcohol levels above 0.1 percent -- most states consider 0.08 the legal limit for driving -- trigger a large release of stress hormones. Although you might feel drunkenly relaxed, your body is convinced it’s in a state of mortal danger.) And so the stresses of the day seem to fade away – we are given a temporary respite from the recursive complaints of self-consciousness. Since chronic stress is really, really bad for us, finding a substance that can reliably interrupt the stress loop might have medical benefits.
These are remarkable statistics. Even though heavy drinking is associated with higher risk for cirrhosis and several types of cancer (particularly cancers in the mouth and esophagus), heavy drinkers are less likely to die than people who don't drink, even if they never had a problem with alcohol.
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2017200,00.html
http://www.wired.co.uk/article/why-alcohol-is-good-for-you
Lead author Erin Richard, a graduate student, added: 'This study shows that moderate drinking may be part of a healthy lifestyle to maintain cognitive fitness in aging.
A 30-year study by the University of California, San Diego has concluded that over-65s who indulge in up to three alcoholic drinks a day can look forward to a happy and healthy retirement.
In fact, they said, moderate to heavy drinkers are more likely to live to the age of 85 without dementia or other cognitive impairments than non-drinkers.
The study, which tracked more than 1,000 middle class white men and women in California, builds on a swell of recent research linking alcohol intake to longevity.
However, the researchers warned excessive alcohol intake is known to cause alcohol-related dementia.
'This study is unique because we considered men and women's cognitive health at late age and found that alcohol consumption is not only associated with reduced mortality, but with greater chances of remaining cognitively healthy into older age,' said lead author Dr Linda McEvoy.
The data derive from a relatively homogenous population in one specific region of San Diego County: Rancho Bernardo, a white-collar, middle-to-upper-middle-class suburb.
The researchers tracked 1,344 older adults, including 728 women and 616 men, from 1984 to 2013.
Ninety-nine percent of them were white with at least some college education.
Cognitive health was assessed every four years over the course of the 29-year study, using a standard dementia screening test known as the Mini Mental State Examination.
The researchers found that people who drank 'moderate to heavy' amounts of alcohol five to seven days a week were doubly likely to be cognitively healthy than non-drinkers.
Moderate drinking is defined as consuming up to one alcoholic beverage a day for adult women of any age and men aged 65 and older. For men age over 65, that constitutes drinking up to two drinks a day.
Heavy drinking is defined as drinking up to three alcoholic beverages per day for women of any adult age and for men age 65 and older. For men under 65, that would be four drinks a day.
Drinking more than four drinks a day is classed as excessive.
The researchers warned that the study does not suggest drinking is responsible for increased longevity and cognitive health.
They make the point that people who drink moderate amounts of wine on a regular basis tend to have higher incomes and education levels. They also tend to smoke less and have better access to health care.
The UC San Diego School of Medicine research team adjusted the statistical analyses to remove confounding variables, such as smoking or obesity.
'It is important to point out that there were very few individuals in our study who drank to excess, so our study does not show how excessive or binge-type drinking may affect longevity and cognitive health in aging,' Dr McEvoy warned.
Lead author Erin Richard, a graduate student, added: 'This study shows that moderate drinking may be part of a healthy lifestyle to maintain cognitive fitness in aging.
'However, it is not a recommendation for everyone to drink.
'Some people have health problems that are made worse by alcohol, and others cannot limit their drinking to only a glass or two per day. For these people, drinking can have negative consequences.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4751614/Heavy-drinkers-likely-reach-85-without-dementia.html
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