Alcohol and Heart Disease

Katelyn Hartley
ID 404036041
NUTR150

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, moderate consumption of alcohol “as
up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.” When a woman
consumes more than three drinks a day, or seven drinks per week, they are considered a heavy
alcohol drinker. A man must consume four or more drinks a day, and more than fourteen drinks a
week to be considered a heavy alcohol drinker.1
When an individual consumes moderate amounts of alcohol the body may react in a number of
ways one being the rising amount of triglycerides fat in the blood. Other adverse effects of moderate
drinking include; high blood pressure, heart failure, and increased calorie intake – leading to obesity
and a greater risk of developing diabetes. When an individual consumes repeated large amounts of
alcohol and binge drinks they put themselves at risk for “stroke, fetal alcohol syndrome,
cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death”.2
While there are various adverse effects associated with moderate and high consumption of
alcohol, research is currently studying the benefits of drinking alcohol. One popular benefit is a
small increase in HDL cholesterol. Other benefits include prevention of platelets sticking together in
the blood, reducing the formation of blood clotting, and reduce risk of heart attack or stroke
(interesting to note considering high consumption of alcohol puts one at risk for these very
conditions!). 3 While research is studying the benefits of alcohol consumption, much of the benefits
being researched currently have alternative solutions available. Alcohol may help increase HDL
cholesterol, but regular exercise is an effective way to increase HDL cholesterol. Aspirin may be
taken to reduce blood clotting, rather than the consumption of alcohol. Currently, the AHA
(American Heart Association) does not recommend alcohol consumption to improve the health
factors listed above, stating that further research is needed. Though research has been conducted,
there is no scientific data relating to alcohol helping in such health circumstances.4
The AHA has set recommendations for alcohol consumption. They advise individuals who
wish to drink alcohol to do so in moderation. This breaks down to “an average of one to two drinks
per day for men and one drink per day for women. (a drink is one 12 oz. beer).” The American
Heart Assoication encourages “not to start drinking…if they do not already drink alcohol.”5
From the information gathered for this assignment I believe, from a public point-of-view,
that the possible benefits of alcohol do not outweigh the adverse effects. Little research has been
conducted supporting the claims that alcohol consumption improves heart health while extensive
research has been conducted from a variety of sources claiming the extreme importance of exercise
and diet in relation to heart disease. According to The Heart Foundation, participating in aerobic
exercise for at “least 30 minutes five days a week or more vigorous workouts at least 20 minutes
three times a week” reduce your risk of heart disease. The Heart Foundation also states that
consuming a “diet low in salt, saturated and transfats and high unsaturated fats (fish, avocado, etc.)
like the Mediterranean Diet” lower risk of heart disease.6
Individuals would be smart to adopt healthy lifestyle choices that have been scientifically
proven to improve overall quality of life.
1 http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet

2http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Alcohol-
and-Heart-Disease_UCM_305173_Article.jsp#.Vrv5o5MrKRs

3http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Alcohol-and-Heart-
Disease_UCM_305173_Article.jsp#.Vrv5o5MrKRs

4http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Alcohol-and-Heart-
Disease_UCM_305173_Article.jsp#.Vrv5o5MrKRs

5http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Alcohol-and-Heart-
Disease_UCM_305173_Article.jsp#.Vrv5o5MrKRs

6 http://www.theheartfoundation.org/heart-disease-facts/reducing-your-risk/