Can alcohol consumption be healthy? That’s what experts say

The question is how research can get different conclusions, but the answer is not easy. The data often contain statistical distortions, disturbing factors, economic interests and different definitions, and researchers do not always agree on how to interpret evidence.

There is that everyone agrees

Popular Science asked six experts in opposing opinions on the subject. They agreed that women consume one daily, more than two drinks a day, has serious health risks, such as cancer, heart problems, liver disease and cognitive disorders.

They also agreed that alcoholism was a serious health problem and none of them recommend starting alcohol for health reasons purely.

Alcohol is known to be addictive: according to US statistics, more than 20 percent of people who consume alcohol become alcohol -dependent in their lives.

Research is increasingly showing that there is a clear relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer, and the more one drinks, the greater the risk. Analyzes differ in the types of cancer and to what extent the risk is increasing. According to the National Academies, the risk of breast cancer among moderate drinkers is 10 percent higher than those who have never drank alcohol.

According to the US National Cancer Research Institute, the medium amount alcohol consumption It increases the risk of head-neck, esophagus, colon and breast cancer, and a few drinks per week increases the risk of esophagus and breast cancer.

Experts generally agree that the health effects of casual or small amounts of alcohol consumption – whether positive or negative – are low.

Why is there a lot of contradictions?

In the ’90s, it began to spread that one glass of red wine a day is healthy and is good for the heart. Subsequent research has already questioned the relationship: a 2017 study said moderate drinking could cause a decrease in brain, and the WHO issued a report in 2022 that there was no level of alcohol consumption that would be safe.

One part of the problem is that alcohol research is based almost exclusively on observation, not controlled experiments, so they cannot show causal relationships. In addition, many studies do not separate those who have never drank, from those who have stopped drinking for health reasons. This can also distort the results.

There are extremes

The alcohol of alcohol has been funded by many research that has shown the alcohol consumption Its benefits, although overall, their proportion is not very high. On the other side, there are religious or moral organizations proclaiming abstinence, which also financially support research on the harmful effects of drinking.

In addition, the guidelines cannot take into account individual differences. For example, if someone is extremely endangered in terms of cancer, you may want to completely give up alcohol. After all, alcohol consumption is a personal decision that everyone has to make themselves.

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