| Dr. Kestner: Is alcohol good or bad? |
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By: MARK KESTNER
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Posted: Sunday, December 27, 2009 7:50 am
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With New Years Eve just a few nights away, it seems appropriate that the relative risks and benefits of alcohol are in the news.
Unfortunately, this celebration always leads some people to over-indulge and be irresponsible. It seems that many people cannot tell the difference between enjoying a drink or two and binging to the point that personal tragedy is inevitable. Let’s hope that revelers are smarter than in most years, and we all have an opportunity to begin 2010 safely.
Alcohol plays a key role in the deaths of millions of Americans each year. Whether through health deterioration as a result of chronic abuse, injuries caused by accidents, or the tragic result of drinking and driving, this one ingredient has wrecked the lives of more families than any other substance in history.
Alcohol can cause seemingly responsible people to engage in irresponsible behavior. Alcohol abuse has led to innumerous cases of domestic abuse, broken relationships and personal failures.
Yet this chemical that has played a role in so many disastrous consequences throughout the centuries has been hailed as a potential health benefit by many health experts. In fact, alcohol has been shown to have numerous health benefits … if consumed in moderation.
Moderate drinkers tend to live longer and have fewer serious health problems than abstainers or heavy drinkers.
Moderate drinking, according to most health experts, is one drink per day for women or men over 65, and up to two drinks per day for men under 65.
The Mayo Clinic observes the following health factors that are documented benefits of moderate alcohol intake:
• Reduced risk of heart and vascular disease
• Reduced risk of dying from a heart attack
• Reduced risk of strokes
• Reduced risk of gallstones
• Possibly reduced risk of diabetes
So, why aren’t more doctors recommending that Americans consume alcohol regularly as a health benefit? According to surveys, doctors are concerned about people misunderstanding the recommendations and taking the advice to mean anything goes with alcohol consumption. The dangers of alcohol abuse are too real and too serious. Mayo Clinic presents this short list of potential consequences of chronic excessive alcohol intake:
• Cancer of the breast, pancreas, mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus and liver
• Heart failure or sudden death from cardiovascular disease
• Stroke
• Liver damage
• Miscarriage and fetal development problems
• Injuries from falls and accidents
• Suicide
Obviously, this list contains only health-related problems and has no mention of the social or personal costs of excessive alcohol consumption. Higher rates of divorce, job loss, engaging in risky sexual behavior are just a few of the potential consequences of alcohol abuse.
The chemical effects of alcohol should also be considered carefully when taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications. Alcohol interacts with many drugs with possibly serious consequences.
Alcohol affects everyone in a unique way. Some people seem to be unaffected by the potential dependency effects of alcoholism while others are vulnerable to very quick addiction. For some people, even moderate alcohol consumption can lead to problems.
So, is it good or bad for you to drink alcohol? The answer is so dependent upon individual factors that there is no universal answer. There is no single recommendation that would be agreeable to all health experts that would apply to all people.
The summation of the available research leads to a conclusion that for some people having an alcohol drink or two on a daily basis may be a benefit.
Most doctors would recommend that if you choose to drink alcohol that you limit your intake to one or at most two drinks per day. Obviously, pregnant women should not drink any alcohol and anyone with a family history of alcoholism, taking medications or an existing disease or health conditions should discuss the potential benefits and risks of alcohol with their doctor.
The one fact that is agreed upon is that drinking to the point of being impaired significantly raises the risk of a tragic outcome, especially if the drinker is driving. Just as the television commercial says, “Buzzed driving is drunk driving”.
Next week: Predictions for 2010.
Dr. Mark Kestner
mkestner@DrKestner.com |
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Member Opinions:
By: JackieMoon on 12/28/09
good
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