Wine/alcoholic beverages – General health aspects
For decades the scientific evidence showed consistently and biologically plausible that a moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages is associated with a lower risk of various diseases. However, there is a lack of long-term interventional studies to dispel any final doubts. Randomised controlled studies are considered here as the gold standard.
Mortality Risk
As part of a healthy lifestyle, the moderate consumption of wine/alcoholic beverages can reduce the mortality risk. Those who consume moderately have a lower risk than those who are teetotallers or who consume excessively. This has mainly to do with the positive effects of alcohol on cardiovascular health.
However, amounts above the recommended guidelines do not provide any positive effects but only harm. The consumption of high amounts of alcoholic beverages in a short time (binge drinking) is damaging for heart health and increases the mortality risk. Excessive consumption is associated with a number of long-term chronic diseases. such as cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, liver cirrhosis, addiction, various cancers, and alcohol-related brain damage.
It is important to note that the amount consumed is not the only important aspect, but what matters is also the drinking pattern. The moderate consumption of wine with the meal as part of the so-called Mediterranean drinking patternThe Mediterranean diet, which includes moderate consumption of wine, is considered ... is associated with these positive effects. The polyphenols in wine are becoming increasingly important in this context. They contribute to the endothelial health of blood vessels, scavenge harmful free radicals, and have a positive influence on the composition of the microbiome.
J-curve
For many decades, epidemiological studies have consistently shown that light-to-moderate consumers of wine/alcoholic beverages have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and a lower risk of death from all causes (including total cancer) compared with non-drinkers or those who drink heavily. It is not limited to alcohol-related causes of death, but instead captures all deaths combined. This is otherwise known as the J-curve.
Numerous scientific studies demonstrate a J-shaped relationship between the disease/mortality risk (the Y axis) and low-to-moderate daily consumption levels of wine/alcoholic beverages (the X axis). This means low-to moderate wine consumers have a lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other causes as well as a lower risk of developing these diseases (CVD, Type 2 diabetes and dementia) than abstainers. Above moderate levels, the risk increases steadily. This J-curve has been found in numerous scientific studies and in different populations.
What researchers are still discussing is the lowest point of the J-curve – that is the amount of alcohol where the most benefits and the lowest risk can be found.
It is important to note that the scientific findings regarding the benefits of moderate consumption, whether physical, mental or social should not be an incentive to exceed the guidelines for moderate drinking of wine/alcoholic beverages or to start drinking. Drinking wine should be for pleasure and enjoyment rather than for any health benefit and drinking more than the recommended amounts will not provide more benefits, only more harm!
Risks associated with excessive consumption of wine/alcoholic beverages
Consumption levels and drinking patterns vary greatly between cultures and societies, and large amounts of an alcoholic beverage as well as regular heavy and binge drinking patterns usually impact an individual’s general health and welfare.
If consumed in large amounts, wine/alcoholic beverages increase the exposure to a wide range of risks, whereby the risk rises with the amount of alcohol consumed. Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages on a single occasion, i.e., on the weekend, is associated with health risks. Binge drinkingBinge drinking (consuming rapidly four or more alcoholic drinks over a short period of time) has bee... (large amounts of alcohol on one occasion), increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.
Alcohol misuse is associated with a range of long-term chronic diseases that reduce the quality of life. These include hypertension, cardiovascular problems, cirrhosis of the liver, alcohol dependence, various forms of cancer, alcohol-related brain damage and a range of other problems.
In addition to health issues resulting from the excessive consumption of wine/alcoholic beverages, it can also lead to more immediate risks, such as accidents and violence and social consequences, both for the drinker and for others in the community. The consequences include harm to family members (including children), to friends and colleagues as well as to bystanders and strangers.