2024-08-19 14:50:00
Drinking alcohol is bad for your health. We all know the adage is true: alcohol is one of the leading causes of death and contributes to death. Nearly 50,000 people die every year in France. But drinking light to moderate amounts (less than one drink per day for women and less than two drinks per day for men) can have beneficial effects on an important part of our body: the heart. If this has been proven by multiple scientific studies, The mechanism of this protective effect is unclear. Until a study conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States was recently published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology (Source 1).
To find out, US researchers studied the health data of more than 50,000 people. As they explained in a press release (source 2), they were first able to confirm Light to moderate drinking ‘significantly’ reduces risk of serious heart events (Heart attack and stroke), after taking into account factors such as health, genetics, lifestyle and socioeconomic status. They then studied the brain scans of more than 750 people to look at the effects of drinking on brain activity, specifically on “resting neural network activity associated with stress.” They then observed that among people who drank light or moderate amounts of alcohol, “ Diminished stress signals in the amygdala, a brain region associated with the stress responsecompared with people who drank less than one drink per week.
We found that brain changes in light-to-moderate drinkers explained a significant portion of the cardioprotective effects. Dr. Ahmed Tawakol is a cardiologist and lead author of the study (press release).
Stress and mind don’t mix
Stress, whether occasional or chronic, can have a significant impact on the heart. “When the amygdala is overly alert and vigilant, the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, which Increased blood pressure and rapid heartbeat and triggers the release of inflammatory cells. If stress is chronic, it can lead to high blood pressure, increased inflammation, and significant risks of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Tawakol explained in a press release.
closureSource: French Federation of Cardiology. © French Federation of Cardiology Source: French Federation of Cardiology. ©French Federation of Cardiology
The researchers wanted to go a step further and analyze the effects of drinking alcohol on heart health in people with a history of anxiety. Therefore, they realize that “light to moderate drinking is associated with Cardioprotective effects were nearly twice as high in people with a history of anxiety than others”!
More than just protection
Despite these “protective cardiac effects,” cardiologists apparently warned in a press release about the overall health risks of drinking alcohol. “We do not advocate drinking alcohol to reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke from other causes. The worrying effects of alcohol on health ».
Researchers do provide new evidence about the harmful health effects of drinking alcohol. Therefore, they reported cancer risk An increase in the number of people drinking alcohol, even in small amounts. For people who drink more alcohol (more than 14 drinks per week, or more than 2 drinks per day), “the risk of heart attack begins to increase, and overall brain activity begins to decrease (which may be related to poor cognitive health). ,” they recalled in a press release.
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