A number of studies published in the 1970s and 1980s suggested that small to moderate amounts of alcohol have a protective effect on ischaemic heart disease (IHD) that outweighs adverse health effects. However, Rod Jackson (University of Auckland, New Zealand) and colleagues state that the studies were non-randomised and any positive association could easily be due to confounding factors that were not considered. For example, a study this year on 200,000 adults in the USA found that 27 of 30 cardiovascular risk factors were significantly more prevalent in non-drinkers than in light to moderate drinkers.
Dr Jackson states: "Any coronary protection from light to moderate drinking will be very small and unlikely to outweigh the harms…Do not assume there is a window in which the health benefits of alcohol are greater than the harms – there is probably no free lunch."
Contact: Joe Santangelo
j.santangelo@elsevier.com
212-633-3810
Lancet
Have comments on this article? Post them here:
people have commented on this article.
Email this article to a friend
Share this article on: 
Now Available from 
