12 Facts about Alcohol, Drinking and Health

Here are 12 facts about alcohol, drinking and health. There are a lot of myths about alcohol in general. And there are many about drinking and health in particular.

12 Facts about Alcohol

1. Drinking alcohol in moderation is linked to better health and longer life.1 That’s compared to either abstaining from alcohol or abusing it.

2. Drinking in moderation reduces the risk of developing many diseases. They include these, among others.

    • Senility, including Alzheimer’s disease.
    • Cardiovascular diseases.
    • Rheumatoid arthritis.
    • Enlarged prostate.
    • Type 2 diabetes.
    • Osteoporosis
    • Stroke
    • Gallbladder disease.
    • Kidney cancer.
    • Thyroid cancer.
    • Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer).
    • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer).
    • Peripheral artery disease.
    • Metabolic syndrome.
    • Essential tremors.
    • Hepatitis A.
    • Kidney stones.
    • Parkinson’s disease.
    • Atherosclerosis.
    • Stress and depression.
    • Common cold.
    • Fatty liver disease.
    • Asthma and lung disease.
    • Abdominal aortic aneurysm.
    • High blood pressure
    • H pylori infection  (the major cause of hepatitis B).
    • Intermittent claudication.2

3. Moderate drinkers are much less likely than abstainers to have coronary heart disease. And also heart attacks.3 This is important. Coronary disease is the major cause of death in many parts of the world.

4. Alcohol abstainers who begin drinking reduce their risk of heart and other diseases.4

5. Drinking increases the survivability of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.5

6. Drinking increases the survivability of traumatic head injury.6

7. Frequent drinkers have more heart-health benefits than those who drink less often.7

facts about alcohol

8. Exercising can’t replace the health benefits of moderate drinking.8

9. Alcohol contains calories. But moderate drinkers tend to weigh the same or less than abstainers. And they tend to gain less weight as they age.9

10. Beer and wine contain no fat or cholesterol. Distilled spirits (liquor) contain no fat, no cholesterol and no carbs. This is one of the important facts about alcohol.10    

11. All the minerals necessary for good health are found in alcoholic beverages.11

12. Alcohol is listed as medicinal in the US Pharmacopoeia.12 The major use of the very highest proof (“strongest”) alcohol is medicinal.13

Did you know many of these 12 facts about alcohol, drinking and health? Now you know them all.

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12 Facts about Alcohol

Resources

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Endnotes

1-13.  References located at Alcohol and Health.