The evidence for the benefits of alcohol is pretty impressive. British researchers followed nearly 2,000 patients aged 55 and over for two decades and showed that stopping alcohol altogether leads to an increased risk of premature death.
In the study, 69% of patients who completely abstained from alcohol died, and only 41% of patients who consumed alcohol in moderation.
Strikingly, people with serious alcohol abuse also had lower mortality rates during the study (61%) than those who abstained completely.
Simply put, the sensational study found that drinking a lot is still healthier than not drinking at all.
Another major study published in the respected medical journal Archives of Internal Medicine supports this theory. 1-2 drinks per day for women and 2-4 for men are associated with a reduction in premature mortality, the study authors argue. The fact is that alcohol in small doses reduces stress levels, normalizes blood pressure and improves the functioning of the immune system, scientists say.
In addition, according to another study by German scientists, moderate (and regular!) Doses of alcohol reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attacks. The main thing is to distribute alcohol evenly. One to two drinks a day, not one serious alcohol intake during the holidays once a week, emphasizes Jurgen Reim, one of the study's authors.
But this is not the biggest discovery of recent research. Scientists have established a link between moderate alcohol consumption and longevity in light of factors such as loneliness. Man is a social being. Feelings of loneliness lead to depression, which is fraught with many health problems and is a factor that shortens life expectancy. The researchers note that people who completely eliminate alcohol from their lives, especially in old age, are more likely to experience loneliness.
And people who drink alcohol in moderation are more likely to have more social connections. Human relationships are characterized by the complex chemistry of dopamine, oxytocin, and other hormones. Some people, due to their character traits, are prone to a certain closeness.
“A couple of glasses of wine always brings you closer together, and in the long term it always has a positive effect on health,” says John Lehrer. However, researchers note that not only the amount of alcohol consumed, but also its type is of fundamental importance. According to scientists, many alcoholic drinks are good for health. And some of them are just elixirs of longevity. Of course, in limited quantities.
Do you want to know which drinks are useful according to doctors?