St. Patrick's Day Medication
Whiskey is derived from the Irish words “ uisce beatha “ which literally translates as “ water of life”. So with St. Patrick's Day looming it is a good time to look at the medicinal properties of spirituous liquors. It may be no surprise that alcohol in moderate quantities is good for the heart, stimulates the mind, and soothes the troubled soul.
It is all about the Drunken Monkeys
Drunken monkey's may be why humans like to drink alcohol.
Human attraction to ethanol may derive from dependence of the primate ancestors of Homo sapiens on ripe and fermenting fruit as a dominant food source.
Ethanol naturally occurs in ripe and overripe fruit when yeasts ferment sugars
Early primates (and many other fruit-eating animals) have evolved a genetically based behavioral attraction to the molecule.
Whereas most addictive substances have a relatively short history of use by humans, attraction to and consumption of ethanol by various primates may go back tens of millions of years.
The odors of ripening fruit would help primates find scarce calories in tropical rain forests, given that ethanol is a relatively light molecule and is moved rapidly by winds through vegetation.
This once-beneficial attraction to and consumption of ethanol at low concentrations may underlie modern human tendencies for alcohol use and alcohol abuse.
Executive Summary
- A little bit of alcohol every day is generally good for health.
- For men, 1 - 3 drinks/day
- For women 1-2/day
- This seems to be because of decreased heart attacks and strokes.
- Alcohol other has multiple other benefits.
- However it can also lead to cancer. Any amount of alcohol can increase your cancer risk
- Any amount of daily alcohol might adversely affect your brain
- So the exact amount of alcohol right for you depends on your individual situation
- Get advice from your family doctor.
The "J" Curve for alcohol consumption
There is more about this below. But what this curve shows is that a wee sip of alcohol every day reduces your risk of dying. The ideal amount is probably 1/2 a drink per day. Which translates to 1 oz of hard liquour, or 1/2 of a wine/beer. (Although you can get away with more and still be health ! )
The vertical axis shows your risk of dying of "anything", with the horizontal line being the baseline risk ( defined as 1 ) of a tea totaller.
If you are below the horizontal line you have less of a chance of dying than if you didn't drink at all. If you are above the line, you definitely should get below it !
Some patients have wondered if I am a closet alcoholic, and if this graph is something I found in one weird study somewhere, that I use to justify drinking.
The truth is, the graph is copied directly from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) , and is a summary of 34 studies they reviewed, with a little over a million patients involved. So there !
The vertical axis shows your risk of dying of "anything", with the horizontal line being the baseline risk ( defined as 1 ) of a tea totaller.
If you are below the horizontal line you have less of a chance of dying than if you didn't drink at all. If you are above the line, you definitely should get below it !
Some patients have wondered if I am a closet alcoholic, and if this graph is something I found in one weird study somewhere, that I use to justify drinking.
The truth is, the graph is copied directly from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) , and is a summary of 34 studies they reviewed, with a little over a million patients involved. So there !
Alcohol and the Bible
The Bible advocates the use of wine
Alcohol has been with humankind for thousands of years, and has played an important part in our history, religious ceremonies, and culture. Our Christian Bible is full of references to the good effects of alcohol. Wine is praised; it rejoices God and men (Judges 9:13); it gladdens the heart of men (Psalms 104:15); it gladdens life (Exodus 10:19); it makes the heart exult (Zechariah 10:7); it cheers the spirits of the depressed (Proverbs 31:6) . St. Paul even preferred it over water for some types of stomach upset. (Timothy 1:15)
Moderate drinking is healthy!
The evils of the demon drink are also well known, but in honour of St. Patrick we'll examine more of the benefits. Moderate is the operative word here – ideally about one drink a day on a regular basis seems to bring the most benefits. Perhaps two on Sunday ! (Being sober all week and bolusing yourself on the weekend is NOT recommended. )
Alcohol is good for the heart and mind. People who drink moderate amounts of alcohol have less diseases of arteries of their heart, less peripheral artery disease, less heart attacks, and less death from heart attacks. The also have less dementia, and up to seventy percent fewer strokes.
Alcohol is good for the heart and mind. People who drink moderate amounts of alcohol have less diseases of arteries of their heart, less peripheral artery disease, less heart attacks, and less death from heart attacks. The also have less dementia, and up to seventy percent fewer strokes.
Beware of abstinence
Guinness is good for you
It may seem to be the luck of the Irish, but drinking moderate amounts of alcohol is actually healthier than being a tea-totaller. Drinking the right amount of “the pure” decreases your chances of heart diseases by anywhere from fourty to seventy percent. And I am not making this up. The Mayo Clinic agrees with me. ( Although the Mayo brothers were a couple of Irishmen who might have been fond of a wee dram themselves. )
Next to Leprechauns and cathedrals the most revered site in all of Ireland is possibly the Guinness Brewery in Dublin. Many Irishmen believe that the medicinal benefits of Guinness are second only to Holy Water. Sadly, Guinness may have to take second place behind red wine and the irritating French.
Next to Leprechauns and cathedrals the most revered site in all of Ireland is possibly the Guinness Brewery in Dublin. Many Irishmen believe that the medicinal benefits of Guinness are second only to Holy Water. Sadly, Guinness may have to take second place behind red wine and the irritating French.
The French Paradox
A classical French stereotype is the sneering Frenchman, sipping a glass of red wine, while peering out from behind a cloud of Galois cigarette smoke and nibbling on am ultra high fat content morsel of pate. ( The French force-feed their geese high fat food in order to get goose liver pate with the worst possible fat content. )
Red wine and resveratrol
Wine saves Frenchmen
This stereotypical Frenchmen is a textbook example of cardiac risk factors : bad attitude, bad diet, evil smoking, and obsessive drinking. But scientists discovered what they refer to as the “French Paradox”. Despite their high risk lifestyle, Frenchmen don't have nearly as many heart attacks as they should according to their risk factors.
What saves them may be the alcohol.
Red wine has all the usual heart protecting benefits of all alcohol, and maybe even a few more. A “bioflavinoid anti-oxidant” in the wine called “ resveratrol” may provide extra benefit even above that of regular alcohol.
Vive le vin ! And long live the wine drinkers.
What saves them may be the alcohol.
Red wine has all the usual heart protecting benefits of all alcohol, and maybe even a few more. A “bioflavinoid anti-oxidant” in the wine called “ resveratrol” may provide extra benefit even above that of regular alcohol.
Vive le vin ! And long live the wine drinkers.
Moderate alcohol and healthy lifestyle
A wine a day keeps the doctor away
Alcohol also has other health benefits. A study in Texas shows that moderate alcohol consumption decreases the likelihood of Type 2 Diabetes. Alcohol also increases good cholesterol, decreases bad cholesterol, and cuts your chances of getting gallstones in half. Even if you don't live in Texas.
Most magical of all, alcohol (in moderate amounts ) seems to increase general health. An American study found that moderate drinkers were more likely to get enough sleep each night, exercise regularly, and be at a healthy weight.
Most magical of all, alcohol (in moderate amounts ) seems to increase general health. An American study found that moderate drinkers were more likely to get enough sleep each night, exercise regularly, and be at a healthy weight.
In Summary
Sir William Osler, the most famous Canadian physician of all time, and considered to be the father of modern medicine ( just as Hippocrates is considered the father of ancient medicine) once said. “Alcohol for the elderly is what milk is for the young.”
Which almost exactly mirrors the sentiments of an old Irish folksong I learned growing up. “ The milk of the cow is good for the calf - and the juice of the barley for me!”
Slainte !
Dr. Patrick Nesbitt
Which almost exactly mirrors the sentiments of an old Irish folksong I learned growing up. “ The milk of the cow is good for the calf - and the juice of the barley for me!”
Slainte !
Dr. Patrick Nesbitt
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Drink a little, get more cancer, but still live longer overall !
The "J -shaped curve" of alcohol and life. Low doses are good ( better than no doses), and high doses are bad
8 April 2011 An article in the British Medical Journal finds that 10 % of all cancers in men and 3% of all cancer in women are due to alcohol. And this risk seems to exist with even moderate amounts of alcohol.
The European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer (EPIC) studied 363,988 participants from 8 European countries — France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Greece, Germany, and Denmark, and well as data on alcohol consumption compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Cancer risk appeared to be increased even with drinking moderate amounts.
The researchers assumed a causal association between alcohol and cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract (which includes the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus), liver cancer, female breast cancer, and colorectal cancer ( The easiest way to remember all this is to imagine alcohol flowing "over the gums" , and follow its journey through the body and out the far end. Everything it touches, it increases cancer risk of . )
The team estimated that, in 2008, alcohol was responsible for 44% of the upper aerodigestive tract cancers in men and 25% in women, 33% of liver cancer in men and 18% in women, 17% of colorectal cancer in men and 4% in women, and 5% of breast cancer in women.
Hence the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research recommend a maximum of 2 drinks per day (about 28 g of alcohol) for men and 1 drink (about 12 g) for women.
"Our data show that many cancer cases could have been avoided if alcohol consumption is limited to 2 alcoholic drinks per day in men and 1 alcoholic drink per day in women, which are the recommendations of many health organizations," said lead author Madlen Schütze, PhD student and epidemiologist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany.
"Even more cancer cases could be prevented if people reduced their alcohol intake to below recommended guidelines or stopped drinking alcohol altogether," she said in a statement.
Which leads to a curious paradox. Drinking a little bit every day makes you more like to develop cancer, but LESS likely overall to die. Possibly because of the way alcohol prevents heart problems and strokes.
This link between drinking a little it, and living a little bit longer can be seen in many medical journal articles, such as this one in the Annuals of Internal Medicine
The European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer (EPIC) studied 363,988 participants from 8 European countries — France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Greece, Germany, and Denmark, and well as data on alcohol consumption compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Cancer risk appeared to be increased even with drinking moderate amounts.
The researchers assumed a causal association between alcohol and cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract (which includes the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus), liver cancer, female breast cancer, and colorectal cancer ( The easiest way to remember all this is to imagine alcohol flowing "over the gums" , and follow its journey through the body and out the far end. Everything it touches, it increases cancer risk of . )
The team estimated that, in 2008, alcohol was responsible for 44% of the upper aerodigestive tract cancers in men and 25% in women, 33% of liver cancer in men and 18% in women, 17% of colorectal cancer in men and 4% in women, and 5% of breast cancer in women.
Hence the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research recommend a maximum of 2 drinks per day (about 28 g of alcohol) for men and 1 drink (about 12 g) for women.
"Our data show that many cancer cases could have been avoided if alcohol consumption is limited to 2 alcoholic drinks per day in men and 1 alcoholic drink per day in women, which are the recommendations of many health organizations," said lead author Madlen Schütze, PhD student and epidemiologist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany.
"Even more cancer cases could be prevented if people reduced their alcohol intake to below recommended guidelines or stopped drinking alcohol altogether," she said in a statement.
Which leads to a curious paradox. Drinking a little bit every day makes you more like to develop cancer, but LESS likely overall to die. Possibly because of the way alcohol prevents heart problems and strokes.
This link between drinking a little it, and living a little bit longer can be seen in many medical journal articles, such as this one in the Annuals of Internal Medicine
Drinking a low amount of alcohol every day actually decreases your chances overall chances of dying.
No Sensible Limit
From a cancer point of view, any amount of alcohol increases your cancer risk. But from an overall dying point of view, low doses of alcohol increase your overall chances of living. (See the "J-shaped curve in the above diagram.)
So like most things in medicine, it is a balancing act between two choices, not a matter of right and wrong. Even low doses of alcohol increase your cancer risk, but it may also improve your chances of staying alive in enough other ways that it may be worth the cancer risk.
Each individual has to make their own choice. If I came from a family with a strong cancer history I might avoid alcohol altogether. However if I came from a family with a long history of cardiac deaths, I might go out of my way to have a glass of wine every day.
And I don't even like wine !
So like most things in medicine, it is a balancing act between two choices, not a matter of right and wrong. Even low doses of alcohol increase your cancer risk, but it may also improve your chances of staying alive in enough other ways that it may be worth the cancer risk.
Each individual has to make their own choice. If I came from a family with a strong cancer history I might avoid alcohol altogether. However if I came from a family with a long history of cardiac deaths, I might go out of my way to have a glass of wine every day.
And I don't even like wine !
But !!! Moderate alcohol makes you smarter
In yet another study ( details to follow here within the next few days ) alcohol in moderate amounts delays cognitive delay.
In other words, alcohol helps to keep you from getting stupider as you grow older. So it is a possible hedge against Alzheimer's Disease.
Of course drinking more than moderate amounts guarantees you are going to fry brain cells. But social drinkers may be better off than tea - totallers in the smarts department in later life. Maybe light amounts of alcohol preserve brain tissue or something.
In other words, alcohol helps to keep you from getting stupider as you grow older. So it is a possible hedge against Alzheimer's Disease.
Of course drinking more than moderate amounts guarantees you are going to fry brain cells. But social drinkers may be better off than tea - totallers in the smarts department in later life. Maybe light amounts of alcohol preserve brain tissue or something.
A Drink A Day May Keep Alzheimer's Away
26 Aug 2011 Journal of Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
The above nerdy sounding journal reviewed the results of 143 studies on the effects of alcohol on the brain. And the results are surprising. While everyone knows that alcohol makes you stupider in the short term ( as in the "girls all get prettier at closing time" theory ), low doses of alcohol over a long period of time may actually be good for your brain.
Two drinks a day for men ,and one for women, seems to somehow decreases the chances of developing Alzheimer's Disease by 23 %.
The researchers started out with rats, and discovered that rats given mild low doses of alcohol had brains that were more resistant to toxins. From this they went on to review the effects of alcohol on humans, and found similar results. The protective effect of moderate drinking held after adjusting for age, education, sex, and smoking.
Alcohol may work by increasing "good" or HDL cholesterol and improve blood flow to the brain. Another theory is that alcohol is a mild stress for your brain, and just like moderate exercise makes you fitter and stronger, a moderate amount of alcohol may improve your brains reaction to stress. This is called the "preconditioning" theory of how alcohol might protect the brain.
Whatever way it does it, moderate amounts of daily alcohol protects against all types of dementia, not just Alzheimer's disease.
"Is it some direct effect of the alcohol on the brain? Are people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol different in some way, in their diet, or their level of exercise? Are low concentrations of alcohol neuroprotective? Is it through some metabolic impact?"
Those are the exact questions that researchers are now trying to answer. In the meantime, I have a hunch that they are enjoying a glass of wine each evening.
The above nerdy sounding journal reviewed the results of 143 studies on the effects of alcohol on the brain. And the results are surprising. While everyone knows that alcohol makes you stupider in the short term ( as in the "girls all get prettier at closing time" theory ), low doses of alcohol over a long period of time may actually be good for your brain.
Two drinks a day for men ,and one for women, seems to somehow decreases the chances of developing Alzheimer's Disease by 23 %.
The researchers started out with rats, and discovered that rats given mild low doses of alcohol had brains that were more resistant to toxins. From this they went on to review the effects of alcohol on humans, and found similar results. The protective effect of moderate drinking held after adjusting for age, education, sex, and smoking.
Alcohol may work by increasing "good" or HDL cholesterol and improve blood flow to the brain. Another theory is that alcohol is a mild stress for your brain, and just like moderate exercise makes you fitter and stronger, a moderate amount of alcohol may improve your brains reaction to stress. This is called the "preconditioning" theory of how alcohol might protect the brain.
Whatever way it does it, moderate amounts of daily alcohol protects against all types of dementia, not just Alzheimer's disease.
"Is it some direct effect of the alcohol on the brain? Are people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol different in some way, in their diet, or their level of exercise? Are low concentrations of alcohol neuroprotective? Is it through some metabolic impact?"
Those are the exact questions that researchers are now trying to answer. In the meantime, I have a hunch that they are enjoying a glass of wine each evening.
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Alcohol Increases Breast Cancer
As mentioned above, even a small amount of alcohol increases your risks for all sorts of cancers. Here is a link that shows how strong the connection between alcohol and breast cancer is .
Alcohol affects long term brain functioning
Even Moderate Alcohol Consumption May Harm the Brain
June 07, 2017
Moderate drinking is associated with pathologic findings in the brain, including hippocampal atrophy, vs no drinking, new research shows.
Higher alcohol intake also predicted faster decline in cognitive measures of lexical fluency, although not semantic fluency or word recall, researchers found.
"In this study, we found that moderate drinking, within US safe limits, was associated with multiple adverse structural brain outcomes and faster cognitive decline, rather than being protective," lead author, Anya Topiwala, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, United Kingdom, told Medscape Medical News. No protective effect was seen with light alcohol intake.
The findings are published online June 6 in BMJ.
June 07, 2017
Moderate drinking is associated with pathologic findings in the brain, including hippocampal atrophy, vs no drinking, new research shows.
Higher alcohol intake also predicted faster decline in cognitive measures of lexical fluency, although not semantic fluency or word recall, researchers found.
"In this study, we found that moderate drinking, within US safe limits, was associated with multiple adverse structural brain outcomes and faster cognitive decline, rather than being protective," lead author, Anya Topiwala, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, United Kingdom, told Medscape Medical News. No protective effect was seen with light alcohol intake.
The findings are published online June 6 in BMJ.