Alcohol prolongs life, Cheers!

Several studies have shown that moderate drinking is beneficial for cardiovascular health. However, its impact on longevity or mortality continues to be mired in debate. Now comes the study providing the strongest evidence thus far that moderate drinking contributes to longevity.

Dr. Di Castelnuova and colleagues from Italy conducted a meta-analysis of 34 prospective studies done on this subject. They pooled the data from these studies yielding 1,015,835 subjects and 94,533 deaths. They analyzed the data from this large group and published their findings in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Dec 2006).

These investigators found a J-shaped relationship between alcohol and total mortality. Men drinking up to 4 drinks and women consuming up to 2 drinks per day had lower mortality. The reduction in death rate was 18% and 17% in women and men respectively.

In contrast, people who consumed alcohol more than above had a higher mortality suggesting that the beneficial effects of alcohol are overwhelmed by its deleterious effects if consumed in excess.

Thus if you are drinking too much, it is never too late to cut it down. On the other hand, low to moderate drinking is good for you! The best way might be to drink small amounts of alcohol with meal.

I will drink to that. Cheers!