Light Alcohol Consumption Benefits Elderly Heart

Researchers from the Institute on Aging at the University of Florida say elderly people can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease through light to moderate alcohol consumption. This study is just one of many highlighting the benefits of moderate drinking.

There have been several studies on the effect of alcohol consumption on the heart and many of these have found levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 to be lower among light alcohol drinkers as compared to those who don’t drink at all. C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels in the blood are signals of inflammation. The latest study has shown these benefits are not entirely due to alcohol’s anti-inflammatory effects.

As part of the study the research team studied and gathered information on 2500 people, all aged between 70 and 79 years of age. 50% of the people in this study group never touched a drop of alcohol while the other half of the group was composed of people who were light to moderate consumers of alcohol. The entire group was studied closely for five and a half years. During the study period 307 people passed away while 383 people suffered a cardiac event.

Upon analysis the scientists found those who drank one alcoholic drink a day or seven drinks a week on an average were 27.4% less likely to die than those who did not drink at all. Similarly those who consumed seven alcoholic drinks a week were also 29% less likely to suffer from a cardiac event as compared to those who abstained totally from drinking.

The most surprising revelation for the researchers was the lower risk of cardiac events even for those people who had higher levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 in their blood. The direct deduction they made from this was the benefits of alcohol were not exactly on account of its anti-inflammatory effects but something else.

Lead researcher, Dr. Cinzia Maraldi stated people must keep in mind the fact that benefits were only present when alcohol consumption was at light to moderate levels. The benefits were actually reversed for heavy drinkers who were at a much higher risk of death or a cardiovascular event than light to moderate drinkers and even those who did not drink at all.

The research team is presently not certain about why exactly light to moderate alcohol drinking is beneficial but believes the benefits might be at cellular level or due to certain genetic factors that interact with the alcohol.

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