Occasional alcoholic beverage can be beneficial

Last week, I warned people who have experienced atrial fibrillation to avoid drinking alcohol because of the association between that irregular heartbeat problem and alcohol.

Then, I read about a study that concluded that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for the brain. According to a British study of more 25,000 adults, even moderate drinking adversely affects brain structure and function.

There have been previous claims about the relationship between alcohol and brain health suggesting that small amounts were protective. But when that idea was formally tested by the British scientists, they did not find it to be the case. In fact, the researchers suggested that any level of alcohol was associated with poorer brain health compared to no alcohol.

As you might imagine, there have been many studies on the effects of alcohol, especially in view of the fact that wine and other alcoholic beverages have been around for thousands of years.

In spite of the bad press I have just given it, alcohol may not always be a terrible choice, as long as you do not overindulge or drink heavily or have a history of alcoholism. It is possible that light to moderate drinking can help in a variety of ways.

So, here are some possible benefits of light to moderate drinking.

In a recent study, researchers gave a pint of beer to half of a group of 50 German students who had recently learned Dutch and the other half got a non-alcoholic pint. The students were judged by two native Dutch speakers, who had no idea which students had consumed alcohol. Those who had consumed the alcoholic beverages received significantly higher scores than the students who had not, suggesting that a little alcohol might help if you are learning a new language.

Another study found that light to moderate drinking might help relax your brain and get you thinking more clearly. It was even found to help people not overthink and come to better, more thought-out solutions.

While alcohol is often associated with a poorer memory, a little bit of alcohol might also help to improve your memory in some cases. Researchers found that students who drank alcohol after studying were better at recalling what they had learned, compared to students who did not.

While too much alcohol can cause weight gain, having that daily glass of wine might actually do the opposite. A study found that women who drank one or two alcoholic drinks a day were less likely to gain weight than those who did not indulge altogether, possibly because the bodies of long-term moderate drinkers adapt to metabolize alcohol more quickly than non-drinkers or occasional drinkers.

In a study that analyzed more than 2,600 men and 2,800 women over a seven-year period, it found that people who drank two to seven glasses of wine a week were less likely to suffer from depression. However, consuming more than seven glasses can put a person at higher risk of depression.

Some research suggests that the act of socializing in a drinking setting such as a bar or a party makes people feel more engaged and trusting of their friends and community. Such social activities also help to improve a person’s well-being, making them feel happier and more accepted.

In another study, participants who consumed a little bit of alcohol were faster to solve puzzles than people who were completely sober suggesting that one to two glasses of alcohol might help people become creative problem-solvers.

Heavy drinking can have a number of terrible side effects, including liver disease and in some cases, death. But a recent study discovered that drinking an alcoholic beverage every once in a while reduces a person’s risk of death more so than not drinking altogether.

Other health benefits suggested for light to moderate drinking include that one drink a day helps reduce a person’s risk of heart disease by up to 40%. Moderate drinking has also been found to reduce a person’s risk for diabetes and decrease chances of developing dementia. It might even reduce the incidence of developing gall stones.

Reviewing so many studies reminds me that it seems like you might find a study to support just about anything, especially if you do not view the study critically enough.

So, unless you have a history of alcoholism or intermittent atrial fibrillation or liver failure or some other contraindication, if you drink at all, like most things in life, moderation is likely the key to alcohol consumption benefits.