dusio

Great and very "biological" And not genetically modified at all

Alex2601

Sure the rate of alcohol is so raise that it kills quite bacteria or other dangerous elements for health

I think that nowadays it is one of the rare thing which was not modified by sciencists.

sajalarora

Researchers first began studying the potential health benefits of alcohol consumption as a result of the "French paradox". It was found that despite a relatively rich diet and drinking wine with meals, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease. This led researchers to investigate the possible link between moderate alcohol consumption and health.

Drink in Moderation
How much should you drink? Research has turned up a number of health benefits that are linked to alcohol consumption. However, the ideal amount of alcohol to achieve these benefits is one drink per day for women and one to two drinks per day for men. A drink can be 175 ml of wine, one standard-sized can or bottle of beer, or one standard shot of spirits. Drinking more or not drinking all week and then having many drinks in one night will not provide any additional benefits and can cause health problems. Also, those who take medication, suffer from certain health conditions, or are pregnant should avoid alcohol altogether.

The Benefits of Moderate Alcohol Consumption
Although some studies suggest that red wine offers additional health-protective effects due to its high antioxidant content, the benefits listed below can be obtained by drinking any type of alcohol in moderation.

•Dementia: A French study found that people who drank daily in moderation were less likely to develop dementia than nondrinkers and those who only had one drink each week.
•Gallstones: Some studies have suggested that those who drink moderately cut their risk of developing gallstones by about 50%.
•Heart health: Moderate drinking reduces the risk of both heart disease and death by heart attack; studies have found variable risk reduction rates, ranging from 25% (various studies) to 40% (Nurses’ Health Study-a longitudinal study of 85,709 nurses).
•Ischemic stroke: Moderate drinkers have a 70% reduced risk for ischemic strokes, a leading cause of disability and death. However, heavy drinking increases the risk of suffering ischemic strokes.
•Type 2 diabetes: There are some indications that moderate drinking may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes; however, consuming large quantities of alcohol actually increases the risk for this condition.
•Vascular benefits: Numerous studies suggest a 25% to 40% risk reduction for peripheral vascular disease in moderate drinkers.
•General health: A national (U.S.) study found that moderate drinkers are more likely to get enough sleep each night, exercise regularly and be at a healthy weight than nondrinkers and heavy drinkers.
Further Information
•To learn about the adverse health consequences associated with heavy drinking, please see Alcohol and Health Problems.
•To read about medications and medical conditions that require avoiding alcohol, see Alcohol's Health Benefits and Risks.
•To learn about specific health-protective effects of red wine, see Health Benefits of Red Wine.

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sajalarora

Moderate drinkers tend to have better health and live longer than those who are either abstainers or heavy drinkers. In addition to having fewer heart attacks and strokes, moderate consumers of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine or distilled spirits or liquor) are generally less likely to suffer hypertension or high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease, Alzheimer's disease and the common cold. Sensible drinking also appears to be beneficial in reducing or preventing diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, bone fractures and osteoporosis, kidney stones, digestive ailments, stress and depression, poor cognition and memory, Parkinson's disease, hepatitis A, pancreatic cancer, macular degeneration (a major cause of blindness), angina pectoris, duodenal ulcer, erectile dysfunction, hearing loss, gallstones, liver disease and poor physical condition in elderly.

Some Background
Alcohol has been used medicinally throughout recorded history; its medicinal properties are mentioned 191 times in the Old and New Testaments. 1 As early as the turn of the century there was evidence that moderate consumption of alcohol was associated with a decrease in the risk of heart attack. 2 And the evidence of health benefits of moderate consumption has continued to grow over time.

Reviews of research evidence report a strong, consistent relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and reduction in cardiovascular disease in general and coronary artery disease in particular. 3 On the basis of its extensive review of research, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reported that moderate drinkers have the greatest longevity. It also found that moderate drinking is beneficial to heart health, resulting in a sharp decrease in heart disease risk (40%-60%). 4 This is important because cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, and heart disease kills about one million Americans each and every year. 5

The Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism wrote that "Numerous well-designed studies have concluded that moderate drinking is associated with improved cardiovascular health," and the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association reported that "The lowest mortality occurs in those who consume one or two drinks per day."7 A World Health Organization Technical Committee on Cardiovascular Disease asserted that the relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and reduced death from heart disease could no longer be doubted. 8 But the benefits are not limited, important as they are, to reductions in heart disease.

Longevity
Moderate drinkers tend to live longer than those who either abstain or drink heavily.

•A Harvard study found the risk of death from all causes to be 21% to 28% lower among men who drank alcohol moderately, compared to abstainers. 10

•A large-scale study in China found that middle-aged men who drank moderately had a nearly 20% lower overall mortality compared to abstainers. 11

•Harvard's Nurses' Health Study of over 85,000 women found reduced mortality among moderate drinkers. 12

•A British analysis of 12,000 male physicians found that moderate drinkers had the lowest risk of death from all causes during the 13 year study. 13

•A large study of about 88,000 people conducted over a period of ten years found that moderate drinkers were about 27% less likely to die during the period than were either abstainers or heavy drinkers. The superior longevity was largely due to a reduction of such diseases as coronary heart disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases. 14

•A large study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that moderate drinking increased the length of life by about 3% among white males. 15

•A twelve year long prospective study of over 200,000 men found that subjects who had consumed alcohol in moderation were less likely to die than those who abstained from alcohol. 16

•A study of more than 40,000 people by the Cancer Research Center in Honolulu found that "persons with moderate alcohol intake appear to have a significantly lower risk of dying than nondrinkers.” 17
•An analysis of the 89,299 men in the Physicians' Health Study over a period of five and one-half years found that those who drink alcohol in moderation tend to live longer than those who either abstain or drink heavily. 18

•An Italian study of 1,536 men aged 45-65 found that about two (2) years of life were gained by moderate drinkers (1-4 drinks per day) in comparison with occasional and heavy drinkers. 19
•A study of 2,487 adults aged 70-79 years, who were followed for an average period of over five and one-half years, found that all-cause mortality was significantly lower in light to moderate drinkers than in abstainers or occasional drinkers (those who drank <1 drink per week).

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Healthier Lives
Moderate drinkers tend to enjoy better health than do either abstainers or healthy drinkers.

•A nation-wide survey in the U.S. revealed that daily moderate drinkers experienced significantly less acute hospitalization. 21
•A nine year study of predictors of good health found moderate alcohol consumption to be associated with the most favorable health scores. 22
•A nation-wide Canadian study found moderate drinkers who consumed alcohol daily to have 15% less disability than the general population. 23
•A Dutch study found that moderate drinkers under stress were less likely to be absent from work than were either abstainers or heavy drinkers. 24
Heart Attacks
Moderate drinkers are also less likely to suffer heart attacks than are abstainers or heavy drinkers.

•Harvard researchers have identified the moderate consumption of alcohol as a proven way to reduce coronary heart disease risk. 25
•An exhaustive review of all major heart disease studies found that "Alcohol consumption is related to total mortality in a U-shaped manner, where moderate consumers have a reduced total mortality compared with total non-consumers and heavy consumers." 26
•A National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism study asserts that "The totality of evidence on moderate alcohol and CHD (coronary heart disease) supports a judgment of a cause-effect relationship... there are cardioprotective benefits associated with responsible, moderate alcohol intake." 27
•An extensive review of recent medical research by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that, with few exceptions, studies from at least 20 countries around the world demonstrate a 20- to 40-percent lower coronary heart disease CHD incidence among drinkers compared to nondrinkers. Moderate drinkers exhibit lower rates of CHD-related mortality than either heavy drinkers or abstainers. 28 •A study of 18,455 males from the Physicians Health Study revealed that those originally consuming one drink per week or less who increased their consumption to six drinks per week or less has a 29% reduction in CVD risk compared to those who did not increase their consumption. Men originally consuming 1-6 drinks per week who increased their consumption moderately has a 15% decrease in CVD risk compared to those who made no change. 29
•The Harvard Health Professionals Follow-Up Study of over 44,000 males found moderate alcohol consumption to be associated with a 37% reduction in coronary disease. 30
•A British study of women found moderate consumption of alcohol to be associated with lower levels of cardiovascular risk factors. 31
•A study of over 5,000 women with type 2 diabetes mellitus by Harvard researchers found that coronary heart disease rates "were significantly lower in women who reported moderate alcohol intake than in those who reported drinking no alcohol." Women who drank more than 5 grams (about half a glass) a day reduced their risk of CHD (fatal or nonfatal) by more than half. 32•In a study of nearly 88,000 men, Harvard researchers found that drinking reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk among both diabetics and non-diabetics. Weekly consumption of alcohol reduced CHD risk by one-third (33%) while daily consumption reduced the risk by over half (58%) among diabetics. For non-diabetics, weekly consumption reduced CHD risk by 18% while daily consumption reduced the risk by 39%. 33 •Light to moderate consumption of alcohol appears to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 80% among individuals with older-onset diabetes, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 34
•The Honolulu Heart Study found a 49% reduction in coronary heart disease among men who drink alcohol in moderation. 35
•Harvard researchers concluded about coronary heart disease that "Consumption of one or two drinks of beer, wine, or liquor per day has corresponded to a reduction in risk of approximately 20-40%." 36
•At a scientific conference, researchers from Korea, Italy, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and the United States reported striking reductions in death among moderate drinkers, with heart disease and total mortality rates about one half or less compared to non-drinkers. 37
•After over 6,000 participants in the Framingham Heart Study were followed for a period of six to ten years, researchers found that "when consumed in moderation, alcohol appears to protect against congestive heart failure." 38
•After reviewing the research, Dr. David Whitten reported that "The studies that have been done show pretty clearly that the chances of suffering cardiac death are dramatically reduced by drinking" one or two drinks a day and asserted that "We don't have any drugs that are as good as alcohol."39
•Based on the medical evidence, noted investigator Dr. Curtis Ellison asserted that "abstinence from alcohol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease."40
•The American Heart Association, based on the research evidence, concludes that the “Consumption of one or two drinks per day is associated with a reduction in risk of (coronary heart disease) approximately 30% to 50%.”

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Heart Attack Survivability
In addition to reducing the risk of heart attacks, the moderate consumption of alcohol also increases their the survivability.

•Drinking alcohol in moderation throughout the year before an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been found o reduce the risk of dying afterward. Information on the prior drinking behaviors of about 1,900 patients was collected during their hospitalization for AMI. Deaths of participants were then monitored over the next four years. After adjusting for age, sex and other factors, investigators found that light and moderate drinkers had lower death rates than patients who abstained. Moderate drinkers had the lowest mortality rate, reducing their risk by 32%, compared to abstainers. The health benefits were virtually identical for beer, distilled spirits, and wine. 42
•Men who consume two to four drinks of alcohol after a heart attack are less likely to experience a second heart attack than are abstainers, according to a study of 353 male heart attack survivors. Researchers found that men who consumed an average of two drinks of alcohol per day were 59% less likely than non-drinkers to have another heart attack. Those who drank an average of four drinks per day experienced a risk reduction of 52% compared to abstainers. 43 •Drinking alcohol (beer, wine, or distilled spirits) in moderation reduces the damage to effected tissue following a heart attack, according to research by Dr. Ron Korthuis, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. 44
How does alcohol reduce heart disease? It appears that moderate consumption of alcohol improves health and longevity in a number of ways, including the following:

•Alcohol improves blood lipid profile 45
◦It increases HDL ("good") cholesterol 46
◦It decreases LDL ("bad") cholesterol 47
◦It improves cholesterol (both HDL and LDL) particle size 48
•Alcohol decreases thrombosis (blood clotting)
◦It reduces platelet aggregation 49
◦It reduces fibrinogen (a blood clotter) 50
◦It increases fibrinolysis (the process by which clots dissolve) 51
•Alcohol acts through additional ways 52
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◦It reduces coronary artery spasm in response to stress
◦it increases coronary blood flow 53
◦It reduces blood pressure 54
◦It reduces blood insulin level 55
◦It increases estrogen levels
◦It reduces harmful arterial plaque 56Other Benefits
The moderate consumption of alcohol is also apparently effective in reducing the incidence of a broad range of diseases and other health problems.

Strokes
•A study published in the American Heart Association's journal found abstainers' risk of stroke to be double that of moderate drinkers. 57
•The American Heart Association has also reported moderate consumption of alcohol to be associated with dramatically decreased risk of stroke among both men and women, regardless of age or ethnicity.
•A study of men with high blood pressure found that those who averaged one to six drinks per week has a 39% lower risk of death from cardiovascular causes than were abstainers. Those who averaged one or two drinks each day were 44% less likely to experience such death. 59
•A study of over 22,000 men found that light to moderate drinking significantly reduces the overall risk of stroke. 60
•A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that consuming one or two drinks a day can reduce the risk of ischemic stroke by about half. Its findings support the National Stroke Association Stroke Prevention Guidelines regarding the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption.

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•A Harvard University study found the lowest levels of hypertension among young adults who consumed one to three drinks per day. 62
•A study of alcohol consumption and subsequent high blood pressure for eight years among over 7,000 women found that those who consumed an average of about half a drink a day had a 15% lower chance of developing high blood pressure than did women who abstained from alcohol. This is very important because it's one of the few risk factors over which a person has control. 63
Diabetes
•Medical researchers examined the results of 15 different studies and found that moderate drinkers are less likely to have type 2 diabetes than are abstainers. Teetotalers and heavy drinkers have equally high risk of the disease.
The 15 studies were conducted in the U.S., Japan, Finland, Korea, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK and followed a total of 369,862 men and women for an average of 12 years.
Moderate drinkers (those who drank between about a half a drink to four drinks per day) were found to be 30% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than abstainers or heavy drinkers.
Whether drinkers consume beer, wine or distilled spirits makes little difference, but the pattern of consumption does. It’s much better to consume frequently (such as daily) rather than infrequently for maximum health benefits. 64
•The American Diabetes Association reports that "In people with diabetes, light-to-moderate amounts of alcohol are associated with a decreased risk of heart disease, probably because alcohol raises HDL cholesterol, the so-called 'good cholesterol.'" 65
•An analysis of pairs of twins with different drinking patterns found that those who consumed alcohol in moderation had half the risk of developing type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes compared to those who consumed less alcohol. The study involved nearly 23,000 Finnish twins. 66
•A study of almost 21,000 physicians for over 12 years has found that men who are light to moderate drinkers have a decreased risk of Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus. 67
•A study of 8,663 men over a period of as long as 25 years found that the incidence of type 2 diabetes was significantly lower among moderate drinkers than among either abstainers or heavy drinkers. These findings persisted after adjusting for age, smoking, blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, waist circumference, parental diabetes, fasting plasma glucose, body mass index (BMI), serum triglyceride concentration, and cardiorespiratory fitness. 68
•Pre-menstrual women who consume a daily drink of beer, wine or distilled spirits (whiskey, rum, tequila, etc.) have a much lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than abstainers, according to a study that duplicates similar findings in men. The Harvard study involved about 110,000 women age 25 to 42 over a ten-year period. Dramatic reductions (about 60%) occurred among women who drank between 1/2 and two drinks daily compared to abstainers. The reduction of risk was lower for those who drank less. 69
•Drinking alcohol (beer, wine, or distilled spirits) in moderation was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes among women age 40-70 in a large study in the Netherlands that followed them for an average of over six years. The authors wrote that the “findings support the evidence of a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes with moderate alcohol consumption and expand this to a population of older women.” 70

•Research, conducted at the University of Padova Medical School in Italy found that consuming alcohol directly improved the action of insulin in both healthy diabetics. Alcohol also improved fatty acid levels. 71

•And the list of research evidence about the positive effects of moderate drinking on diabetes continues.

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