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Are there any health benefits to alcohol?

Introduction

The truth behind those “alcohol is good for your health” headlines.

Alcohol is a miracle cure that can ward off everything from heart disease to dementia. It’s the secret to a long life, keeps you slim and makes you happier…

At least, you might think so from the stories that regularly appear in the media. But while the jury’s still out on the supposed health benefits of alcohol, there’s overwhelming evidence to show that drinking more than the daily unit guidelines can lead to all sorts of health problems – from cancers, liver disease and strokes to depression and sexual problems.

It’s worth remembering that most of the studies behind the headlines focus on a single supposed benefit of alcohol. But human beings don’t exist in a protective bubble. Just because alcohol may reduce your risk of one disease, it may increase the risk of another.

So how can you give your health a boost without the long-term harm excess alcohol can bring?

"Alcohol can help prevent heart disease"

Heart and circulatory diseases kill more than 180,000 people a year in the UK. So it’s not surprising the media pounces on studies that suggest moderate drinking can help keep your heart healthy.

“The evidence is clear. Drinking too much alcohol can cause high blood pressure, stroke, some cancers and damage to your heart,” says June Davidson, Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation.

"While drinking in moderation has been shown to offer some protection against heart disease, there are much better ways to protect your heart health.

“Eating a sensible diet, exercising regularly and stopping smoking are all excellent ways to keep your heart healthy.”

Read more about alcohol and heart disease

"Wine stops women putting on weight"

“Women who drink wine less likely to gain weight” (BBC news online) and similar headlines greeted a recent American study that showed women who drank a moderate amount, especially of red wine, were less likely to become overweight than those who didn’t drink at all. (1)

But Dr Emma Williams, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, says the results need to be treated with caution. “Because of the limitations of the study, it’s not possible to say whether alcohol itself helps prevent weight gain. The study also worryingly suggested that women, unlike men, can tend to substitute alcoholic drinks for food, so they don’t increase their calorie intake.”

With over 500 calories in a bottle of wine, alcohol certainly isn’t the way to go if you’re planning a diet. But it goes without saying that alcohol should never substitute a meal in order to keep your calorie count for the day down.

“Keeping or maintaining a healthy weight involves consuming a healthy balanced diet as well as keeping physically active,” says Dr Williams. “Base meals on starchy foods, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, cut down on saturated fat and sugar, and engage in regular physical activity.”

"Beer is full of nutrients"

Newspapers recently picked up on a report by The Beer Academy which claimed beer is packed full of healthy nutrients like B-vitamins and silicon.

“Some beers do contain traces of vitamins and minerals, primarily B-vitamins and silicon,” says Dr Williams.

“However, the quantity will vary considerably and depends on a number of factors including the raw ingredients and production methods. Darker beers such as stout will typically contain more B-vitamins, for example.”

A far healthier source of B-vitamins however is a diet that includes milk, eggs, rice and green vegetables (riboflavin), poultry, white fish, wholegrains and peanuts (niacin) and green leafy vegetables, bananas and fortified breakfast cereals (folic acid).

"Drinkers live longer than teetotallers"

Some research suggests that light drinkers live longer than people who don’t drink at all. A recent Dutch study (2) found that men who drank half a glass of red wine a day lived five years longer than teetotallers, while a Danish study (3) showed people who drank up to 6 units of alcohol a week had the highest life expectancy.

However, the studies certainly don’t suggest that alcohol is the elixir of life, and any benefits were limited to people who drank a very low level of alcohol. The studies also highlighted that life expectancy for those who drank more than the recommended guidelines was significantly lower.

As well as making sure you keep to the recommended guidelines, you can live longer by not smoking, taking regular exercise and eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Other secrets to a longer life, according to recent studies, include sleeping 7-8 hours a night, owning a pet, laughing, being optimistic and calm, and having regular sex.

"People who drink alcohol are happier"

People who abstain from alcohol are more likely to be depressed, according to a Norwegian study from 2009. (4) But that’s probably because of social and personality factors, rather than anything to do with the alcohol, the authors concluded.

While meeting up with friends or relaxing with your partner is undoubtedly good for your happiness, alcohol is a depressant and there’s a lot of evidence that drinking too much can cause stress, depression and mental ill-health.

Luckily, it’s possible to enjoy the social side of drinking without overdoing it, by simply sticking within the recommended daily guidelines – see our Having Fun pages for some ideas.