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11 Mar 2008
Middle-aged people who drink occasionally could lower their risk of heart disease by introducing alcohol to their diets daily, a study claims.
Researchers in South Carolina discovered that new moderate drinkers are 38 per cent less likely to develop medical conditions such as heart disease than their teetotal counterparts.
The four-year study, published in the American Medical Journal, looked at 7,500 people taking part in a trial looking at atherosclerosis, in which arteries become hardened.
They found that although none of the participants drank alcohol at the start of the study, six per cent started to drink one or two alcoholic beverages per day as the research progressed.
People who drank wine in particular showed the most reduction in heart-related health problems including heart attacks compared to non-drinkers and heavy drinkers.
Study leader Dana King said: "The findings suggest that, for carefully selected individuals, a 'heart healthy diet' may include limited alcohol consumption even among individuals who have not included alcohol previously."
However, he also stressed that the benefits of drinking alcohol daily must be considered alongside the potential health issues associated with alcohol intake, particularly in people with liver problems.
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