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Study: Abstaining from alcohol significantly shortens life
New research shows that those who imbibe are less likely to die prematurely than those who stay dry.
Tue, Aug 31 2010 at 1:53 PM
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Photo: Al404/Flickr
A newly released study shows that regular drinkers are less likely to die prematurely than people who have never indulged in alcohol. You read that right: Time reports that abstaining from alcohol altogether can lead to a shorter life than consistent, moderate drinking.
Surprised? The tightly controlled study, which looked at individuals between ages 55 and 65, spanned a 20-year period and accounted for variables ranging from socioeconomic status to level of physical activity. Led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin, it found that mortality rates were highest for those who had never had a sip, lower for heavy drinkers, and lowest for moderate drinkers who enjoyed one to three drinks per day.
Of the 1,824 study participants, only 41 percent of the moderate drinkers died prematurely compared to a whopping 69 percent of the nondrinkers. Meanwhile, the heavy drinkers fared better than those who abstained, with a 60 percent mortality rate. Despite the increased risks for cirrhosis and several types of cancer, not to mention dependency, accidents and poor judgment associated with heavy drinking, those who imbibe are less likely to die than people who stay dry.
A possible explanation for this is that alcohol can be a great social lubricant, and strong social networks are essential for maintaining mental and physical health. Nondrinkers have been shown to demonstrate greater signs of depression than their carousing counterparts, and in addition to the potential heart health and circulation benefits of moderate drinking (especially red wine), it also increases sociability.
While it’s always important to drink responsibly, this is one study that warrants raising a glass.
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Unfortunately, drinking moderately can only help you live a little longer. But living a little longer (and in better health) is better than the alternative.
Hopefully you're not drinking alone...yeah, with nobody else. You know when you drink alone, the results of the study don't apply.
I would agree with John's comment that the study doesn't have relevance to heavy non-social drinkers.
Where did you get that idea, John?????
Whiskey kills germs
Because it is technically a poison. And there is more to death than germs.
Please provide citations for your sources.
John-
Mark can't provide references because he's just pulling his assertions out of thin air.
How does that argument address or explain the fact that live-time abstainers who begin to drink tend to live longer than those who continue drinking; that alcohol improves heart and circulatory health by improving cholesterol levels, cholesterol particle size, viscosity, reducing clotting and platelet aggregation; that its improvement of blood profile reduces strokes; and that those who consume alcohol are more likely to survive a heart attack? It doesn't!
This really isn’t new information as many doctors and scientists have studied this at great lengths for many years. I know of some reports that prove this out over a decade ago and its referred to as J- or U-shaped curves in describing the association between level of alcohol consumption and mortality. Regardless, interesting stuff to read.
http://enobytes.com/2012/01/06/411-wine-health/
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/562474_2
Pamela@enobytes
So you see not drinking doesn't make you live longer, it just seems longer...
especially once you've hit the dry heaves... ;)
NOT drinking REDUCES life expectancy according to medical research.
Exactly
Someone trying to convince anyone it is better to drink alcohol is just plain evil, pure and simple.
The Bible says to "use a little wine for thy stomach's sake" (1 Timothy 5:23).
Wine in biblical times did not contain chemicals that are added in manufacturing process today
Please enlighten us as to the chemicals added to wine today...
Object to the chemicals? It's not like it's difficult to MAKE your own wine (though it is difficult to make GOOD wine)....and you can get some wines made in the traditional manner commercially too.
Those same chemicals are in your OJ. Have a problem with your OJ?
So reporting that abstaining from alcohol is a risk factor that increases the chance of having poorer health and shorter life is EVIL? Jesus made and drank alcohol and the Bible says to take alcohol for the stomach.
And how about the Mormons, who have the longest life span of any group...
Alcohol has been know to clear arteries but perhaps considers the income brackets of people who drink in comparison to those that drink and those that do not. Also there is a need to focus on what they drink. A Little wine isn't as bad for you as Fireball whiskey.
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