IS ALCOHOL GOOD FOR YOU?

You've probably read it or heard it somewhere - a glass of red wine will keep the blood pumping through the veins unclogged, or that a drink before dinner will stimulate the appetite. Even Morley Safer on 60 Minutes has talked about the "French Paradox" - that wine is good for you.

In countries like France, people eat high fat diets but do not seem to have as much heart disease as we might expect, possibly because they consume wine with their meals.

Is any of it true? Or is this simply propaganda from the wineries, breweries and distilleries?

The answer is: yes and no. Research on alcohol and heart disease is drawn from what are referred to as epidemiological studies - large scale studies involving thousands of people. Epidemiological research shows averages. So they can't tell what is good or bad for a specific person. Also, they usually look at one health problem at a time.

Studies have indicated that people who do not drink alcohol have higher rates of coronary heart disease than moderate drinkers.

It has been suggested that alcohol in moderation may provide some protection against coronary heart disease. It is thought that alcohol may interfere with the formation of blood clots and slowing down the build-up of plaque in the arteries.

Researchers describe it as a "J-curve": people who don't drink have some risk of heart disease; people who drink a little have a lower risk of heart disease; and people who drink a lot have a very high risk of heart disease.

It has been suggested that the epidemiological studies on alcohol and heart disease are simply a research artifact. It may be that some people don't drink because they have serious medical conditions.

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