In another study that finds moderate alcohol consumption is good for what ails you, Boston researchers have found men who have between one and three drinks a day – before and after a heart attack – live longer than teetotalers.
The study, led by the Boston University School of Medicine and published in the European Heart Journal, tracked nearly 52,000 men who are part of the long-running Health Professionals Follow-up Study begun in 1986.
Of 1,818 men in the study who had non-fatal heart attacks, researchers found those who consumed at least one drink a day had a 22 percent lower risk of death from heart-related and other causes than non-drinkers. Those who drank up to three drinks per day had even greater benefits -- 34 percent lower death risks.
“Further, there were no significant differences in outcome according to type of beverage consumed although, interestingly, lower hazard ratios were seen for consumers of beer and liquor than of wine,” the researchers noted.
They also said the findings indicated the benefits were the same, regardless of whether the men started drinking alcohol before their heart attacks or after.
“This suggests that, in terms of reducing cardiovascular disease... frequent but moderate consumption (under three drinks per day may result in the best health outcomes,” they concluded.