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The confusing guidance about alcohol, simplified.
People have known for centuries that drinking too much alcohol is bad for you. The short-term physical effects on cognition and motor function speak for themselves. The longer-term physical consequences of abusing alcohol — liver damage, jaundice, and cancer — have long been impossible to ignore.
So why, in that case, has there been a widespread belief, even among many physicians, that moderate drinking might actually be good for you?
We can thank the so-called French paradox for this. In the early 1990s, French scientist Serge Renaud concluded that the French had low rates of cardiovascular disease despite their affinity for fatty foods like beef and cheese because they otherwise adhere to a healthy Mediterranean diet — and because they consumed “moderate” amounts of red wine. Scientists have theorized that the antioxidants in red wine could play a role in reducing cholesterol (#912103), for example.
why, in that case, has there been a widespread belief, even among many physicians, that moderate drinking might actually be good for you?
Selection bias: those who drink moderately are generally healthier for a bunch of other reasons than those who drink heavily or not at all.
No mystery on the comparison with heavy drinkers, but why are moderate drinkers healthier than non-drinkers? Because most non-drinkers quit drinking after it caused health problems that they are recovering from.
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I agree that people who drink moderately might be healthier for other reasons, including genetics.
What’s proven is that some drinks, when consumed in moderation, actually have health benefits. Like red wine—it’s got antioxidants, which are good for you.
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It's not proven. It's suggested. There are other studies that indicate less alcohol consumption is healthier at every level of consumption, until you hit zero ("Inverse J-Curve").
What's always difficult when designing nutritional studies is what the control group is doing. Is it red wine compared to no alcohol or is it red wine instead of other alcoholic beverages? Those are importantly different questions.
It's not possible to hold "other things equal" in nutrition studies, so you have to be aware of what the comparison is with.
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👀 Large study shows drinking alcohol is good for your cholesterol levels #912103
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A couple of important points
  1. This is an association between alcohol consumption and a health marker, not an actual health condition. There's no link to actual improvement in health outcomes: i.e. longevity or heart disease.
  2. This is one dimension of health that doesn't say anything about net health impact.
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Alcohol is just a drink. If you eat to much water it also harms. The same applies to Alcohol. 2 shots are never harmful.
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Not only are they not harmful, but it’s actually proven to be good for you. Depending on the drink, of course!
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Yes, avoiding any sort of spirited drnk is better. Red wine or white wine or we here also have "Desi Homemade Sheera'' very healthy. We even give to children with Cold or Pneumonia and it saves seeing a doctor 99% of the times.
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White wine isn’t as healthy as red wine, red’s got more antioxidants. What’s "Desi Homemade Sheera" made of? Did a quick search online and found nothing.
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The more common name is tharra. It's made by sugarcane at my place.
Yes you're right Red wine is healthier, white is also healthy a little less only.
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That must be really strong. Probably similar to 'aguardente', which is super popular in Brazil and Portugal (50-60% alcohol)!
Well so I mean the doctor TOLD me I MUST drink half a bottle of red wine daily.
Daily medicine! 😅
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I'm sure after half a bottle, you won’t feel a thing, it's like full-on anesthesia!
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I know it
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