Believe it or not, drinking moderately can lower the risk of heart attack, angina and heart failure, a new study by British Medical Journal states reveals The research further says that "lifelong non-drinkers have a 24 per cent higher mortality rate than moderate drinkers and that the death rate among former drinkers is even higher."
The research was conducted by authors from Cambridge University and University College London in the most comprehensive way and was funded by organizations including the National Institute for Health Research, Wellcome Trust, and Medical Research Council. According to The Spectator Podcasts, around 2 million people took part in the study, of which, 62 percent "claimed to drink within the old UK guidelines of 21 units for men and 14 units for women." And the study showed that these group had a lower risk of heart disease both clinically and statistically.
The article also highlighted on how the benefits of moderate drinking are never appreciated or promoted. "If moderate drinking was a pharmaceutical with the same weight of evidence behind it, doctors would be prescribing it. If it was a fruit, wellness gurus would be getting rich off it. But you will never hear anyone from the 'public health' lobby telling teetotallers to start drinking. You will seldom even hear them acknowledge the fact that teetotallers die younger," the article opined.
The report further added that the 'public health' lobby refrains from promoting moderate alcohol use because of trust issues. They believe that moderate drinking sometimes may lead to nondrinkers becoming alcoholics. The study further revealed that "non-drinkers were more likely to need treatment for many diseases such as heart attack, heart failure, and angina, compared to people who drank alcohol within the previously recommended guidelines, which were 21 units per week for men and 14 units for women," NHS UK reported.
It also stated that heavy drinkers who don't follow the guideline limits are at higher risk of heart diseases when compared to moderate drinkers. "Former and occasional drinkers also had increased risk of several outcomes."
