Usually when people think of improving heart health, activities such as exercising regularly, refraining from smoking, and eating fruits and vegetables come to mind. So, it may come as a surprise that more and more studies are adding moderate drinking of alcohol to that list. But before celebrating the news by downing a six-pack, drinkers should consider recent findings that emphasize the dangers associated with binge drinking.
Pooling data from 14 previous studies, researchers found that those who drank heavily every so often were 45 percent more likely to develop coronary heart disease, which is where plaque buildup in the heart arteries impedes the flow of blood and oxygen. In this case, occasional heavy drinking was defined as having five or more drinks in a day at least a dozen times per year.
In contrast, a number of studies have found that moderate drinking — one or two drinks per day — is related to lower risks of heart disease. Hence, the findings, as reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggest that binge drinking, even at irregular intervals, may actually undo any heart benefits of lighter drinking.
The study essentially reinforces the message that "not all alcohol consumption is good for health," said Michael Roerecke, lead researcher of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada.
He added that drinking — sometimes even at moderate levels — has been linked to elevated risk of cancers of the throat, stomach, colon, breast and liver, for instance.
Roerecke said it is best to avoid binges altogether — not only because of the possible heart effects, but also because of more-immediate risks, like accidents and violence.
