Patient Login
We all know that drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can hurt the liver and cause major health problems down the road. But not as many people realize the interesting relationship that alcohol has with the heart.
When Alcohol Helps the Heart
Believe it or not, there is a select group of people out there that can benefit from one or two drinks a day! In general, one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men can actually protect against heart disease if there are no atrial fibrillation conditions.
Though scientists have yet to document certain proof of this, it is believed that very moderate drinking can support HDL “good” cholesterol levels in the body while also reducing the inflammation that often causes heart attacks and strokes. Furthermore, scientists say that alcohol serves as an anticoagulant. Though this isn’t good if you start bleeding and need the wound to clot, it’s great to prevent internal blood clots that can lead to major conditions and death.
When Alcohol Hurts
Too much of anything is bad, and alcohol is definitely not an exception. Moderation is the key, and when any person steps out of moderation, harm to the body begins. Just as a few drinks a week can lower bad cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation in the arteries, heavy drinking can increase those figures dramatically.
Since alcohol is also related to obesity and high blood pressure, excessive drinking night after night, or binge drinking on the weekends, creates major problems for the cardiovascular system. Furthermore, studies show that too much alcohol can raise the levels of fats in the blood called triglycerides, and triglyceride levels are just as significant as cholesterol and blood pressure stats.
As with everything else, moderation is the name of the game when it comes to alcohol consumption!