Moderate Drinking for Your Heart Health? Weighing Cardiac Benefits vs. Increased Cancer Risks
There is substantial evidence that very moderate daily drinking reduces your risks of cardiovascular disease, unfortunately, a growing body of evidence suggests that on the whole (depending on your family history of disease) even moderate drinking may be doing you more harm than good, and anything over moderate drinking certainly is.
So if you’re drinking for heart health, weigh the cardiovascular benefits against the statistics listed below and make sure that what you’re doing makes sense.
The Health and Cancer Risks of Drinking
- Only 3 drinks a week increases your risks of breast cancer
- 1 drink per day raises your odds of getting mouth and esophagus cancers and 3 drinks per day increases your odds of colorectal and larynx cancers. Those who drink 4 or more drinks per day have a 300% increased risk of developing oral cancers
- Men who drink more than 3 days per week have a 55% increased risk of prostate cancer1 and a 41% increased risk of dying from any kind of cancer. Women who drink 2 or more drinks per day have a 20% increased risk of dying from any kind of cancer
- Men who drink 3 or more drinks per day have a 30% to 40% increased risk of developing lung cancer, whether they were cigarette smokers or not2
The Cardiovascular Health Benefits of Moderate Drinking
Women who drink 1 drink per day and men who drink no more than 2 drinks per day experience the following health benefits:
- A 30% to 35% reduction in coronary heart disease
- Healthy men experience a 40% to 50% reduction in heart attack risk
- A reduction in stroke and dementia risks3
So Should You Drink for Health?
There are pros and cons to both sides of the moderate drinking coin, and what’s right for you likely depends on your family history of disease and personal health risk profile. If you’re not sure, ask your doctor about what makes most sense for you, and if she recommends moderate drinking to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, make sure you stick to the moderate part of that drinking plan!
Anything over very moderate drinking and any regular binge drinking though is very clearly associated with an increased risk for a host of cancers and even for an increased risk of heart disease – not to mention an increased risk of developing an alcohol abuse problem. If you justify your drinking as something you do for your good health, make certain that your drinking habits support your good intentions and that your good intentions don’t give you license to indulge in a practice that actually does you more harm than good.
And if you do find yourself drinking more than a very moderate drink or two per day – you should strongly consider cutting down – and if you can’t, you should consider getting some help so that you can do what you need to do to stay healthy and happy and strong.
References
Post a comment 0
Copyright Notice
We welcome republishing of our content on condition that you credit Choose Help and the respective authors. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Helpful Reading:
-
How to Cut Down Your Drinking
So you’re drinking too much and you want to change – you have 2 choices, either cut down or quit entirely. While abstinence is the safest course of action it’s not for everyone, and some people want to at least try to cut down before conceding to a need for complete sobriety. Do you want to become a more moderate drinker? If so, here’s how to do it….
Read the complete article -
When Partying Gets Old: Growing Up and Changing
There comes a time for each of us when we reflect on our lifestyle and see that it's time for a change. The New Year is the most popular time of year to do this. Start out 2014 by considering whether partying still matches the life you want today.
Read the complete article -
Personal Alcohol Harm Reduction Ideas
If drinking’s a problem but you can’t or do not want to stop, consider taking small steps right now to minimize the harms associated with use. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Read the complete article