Ladies, it's time to raise a glass to your health. Another study has confirmed light-to-moderate drinking – that’s the equivalent of a glass of chardonnay with dinner – can significantly lower a woman’s risk of stroke, new research shows.
The finding was based on a new analysis of the health records of 83,578 women enrolled in the long-running Nurses' Health Study.
Researchers found women who drank the equivalent of one alcoholic beverage a day (up to 14 grams) had a 17-21 percent lower risk of stroke, compared to teetotalers. But for women who drank larger amounts of alcohol – about three drinks per day -- the risk of stroke increased.
The study, published in the journal Stroke, was based on surveys the women provided every four years about their drinking between 1980 and 2006.
Researchers noted the latest study supports many previous reports that moderate alcohol consumption reduces a woman’s risk of stroke, as well as heart disease.