A moderate intake of alcohol cuts the risk of heart attack by around a third, according to a new analysis.

The long-running Health Professionals Follow-up Study covers over 38,000 men and has been looking at how lifestyle impacts health. In the latest report, doctors at Harvard School of Public Health, show that those who consume alcohol regularly have a reduced risk of heart attack compared with non-drinkers.

The men were asked about the type of alcohol they consumed, how often, and how much. Those who drank three to four, or five to seven, drinks a week had a 32 per cent to 37 per cent reduction in heart attack risk. This was in comparison to those who did not drink at all. And it did not matter whether beer, wine or spirits was consumed.

The researchers think that alcohol may have several benefits on the heart. It reduces clotting, improves insulin sensitivity and raises 'good' cholesterol. Another interesting finding was that men who increased their alcohol consumption, over time, had a reduced risk of heart attack compared to those whose intake remained steady. Those whose consumption went up by one drink a day over the 12 years of the study had a 22 per cent reduced risk compared to those whose drinking level stayed the same. Set against this, of course, is the harm that excess alcohol consumption can do to many organs of the body.

Source

New England Journal of Medicine 8th January 2003