Alcohol, To Drink or Not to Drink?

BY CARYN HONIG RD LD
(The Healthy Weigh Newsletter, Spring 2003)

Alcohol is everywhere: in the aisles of grocery and convenience stores, in restaurants and bars, and at parties and social events. Alcoholic beverages have been used for various reasons by many societies throughout human history. Alcohol is a controversial topic. Some say alcohol is bad for you and should not be consumed. Others say alcohol has health benefits and can prevent heart disease. So, what is the truth?

There are many negative effects of alcohol. Alcohol supplies calories, but very few nutrients. The extra calories in alcohol can cause weight gain, which can lead to medical problems. Heavy drinkers are at risk of malnutrition because alcohol contains calories that may substitute for those in more nutritious foods.

Alcohol has a diuretic effect, which can put individuals at a greater risk of dehydration. Muscles cannot contract properly without certain valuable electrolytes including magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These electrolytes can be lost because of alcoholís diuretic effect. High levels of alcohol raises the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, certain cancers, accidents, violence, suicides, birth defects, and overall mortality. Furthermore, too much alcohol may cause cirrhosis of the liver, inflammation of the pancreas, and damage to the brain and heart.

Even small amounts of alcohol rob the body of B-vitamins and minerals (such as zinc) that are essential for converting food to energy. Finally, alcohol increases the level of lactic acid, a chemical present in body tissue. Too much lactic acid can lead to muscle fatigue and cramps. Alcohol use increases the chances of suffering from muscle cramps.

On the other hand, the United States Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans acknowledges some health benefits of moderate alcohol intake. The American Heart Association agrees and recommends, ìif you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

Please note that moderation is the key word here. Moderation is defined as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. One drink is equivalent to: 12 ounces of regular beer (150 calories) , 5 ounces of wine (100 calories), 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits (100 calories), 1.0 ounce of 100-proof distilled spirits (100 calories).

Over the past several years, many studies have been published about how drinking alcoholic beverages can have positive health effects. Red wine, for example, contains flavonoids and other antioxidants, which can reduce the risk of heart disease. The best known positive effect of alcohol is that it has been shown to increase the HDL (the good or 'happy') cholesterol, which also reduces the risk for heart disease. Alcohol may also prevent platelets in the blood from sticking together, which may reduce clot formation and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Note: aspirin may help reduce blood clotting in a similar way. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warn that people who take aspirin regularly should not drink alcohol. Always check with your physician before taking any medication.

Binge drinking, or downing at least five alcoholic drinks on one occasion, has become increasingly common among United States adults since the early 1990s. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, the number of binge drinking episodes per year has increased by 300 million since 1993. There were 35% more binge-drinking episodes each year between 1995 and 2001.

According to the CDC, the majority of binge drinkers are men. Furthermore, binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to drive intoxicated than non-binge drinkers. Other dangers linked to binge drinking include injuries, car accidents, physical and sexual abuse.

Some people should not drink alcoholic beverages at all.

These include:
* Children and adolescents.
* Individuals of any age who cannot control their drinking to moderate levels. This is a special concern for recovering alcoholics and people whose family members have alcohol problems.
* Women who are trying to conceive or who are pregnant. Major birth defects, including fetal alcohol syndrome, have been attributed to heavy drinking by the mother while pregnant. While there is no conclusive evidence that an occasional drink is harmful to the fetus or to the pregnant woman, a safe level of alcohol in-
take during pregnancy has not been established.
* Individuals who plan to drive or take part in activities that require attention or skill. Most people retain some alcohol in the blood for two to three hours after a single drink.
* Individuals using prescription and over-the-counter medications. Alcohol may alter the effectiveness or toxicity of medicines. Also, some medications may increase blood alcohol levels or increase the adverse effect of alcohol on the brain.

The best advice to all people is that drinking alcohol is a big decision and huge responsibility that should be carefully thought out and planned. If you do decide to drink socially, then drink in moderation, with meals and with lots of water. And most important, be sure that the alcohol consumption does NOT put you or anyone else at risk.

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