Alcohol can lead to severe risks to heart health, but there might also be some benefits for those that follow the recommended guidelines for moderation, according to the American Heart Association.
The Heart Association defines moderation as an average of one drink per day for a woman and two drinks per day for a man. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, four ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of an 80-proof spirit.
Among those that drink every day, staying within the moderate range has shown to be an indicator for a reduction in heart disease risk compared to nondrinkers. Doctors do not recommend that a person start drinking to improve heart health as there is not yet clear evidence that alcohol alone is causing the benefit. It is believed that small amounts of alcohol can have the positive effect of raising HDL (good) cholesterol, improving anti-clotting properties, and acting as antioxidants that help protect the heart and the rest of the body. Evidence suggests, however, that regular physical activity and a healthy diet are much better ways to get the same benefits.
People who regularly drink more than moderate amounts of alcohol have shown an increased risk for high blood pressure, higher levels of blood triglycerides, stroke, obesity, cardiomyopathy, and cardiac arrhythmia. Higher instances of obesity likely stem from the increased caloric intake from the alcoholic drinks themselves and once the person is overweight it can further elevate risks to heart health. Alcohol can cause further complications for those suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes who are already at increased risk for high blood pressure and are sensitive to the effect that alcohol has on lowering blood sugar.