Drinking: Part 1 — Drink and Live Longer

In 2013 the business publication Business Insider did an interesting study on drinking alcohol. It found people who drink alcohol regularly tend to live longer than those that don’t.

This isn’t to encourage you to hit every happy hour you can find, nor does it give you a license to drink to totally inebriated on a daily basis. We all know what over-indulging leads to and the serious health issues that accompany alcohol addiction.

The study simply said drinking in “moderation” helps people live longer.

Now the University of Texas has done a study of its own and came to the same conclusion. Psychologist, Charles Holahan headed the team and took a look at people aged 55 to 65 over a 20-year period. Factors in the study included socioeconomic status, how much physical activity someone gets, the friends they associate with and the social support they get.

Here’s the conclusion:

69% of non-drinkers died prematurely

41% of moderate drinkers died prematurely

Holahan and his crew found “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.”

That doesn’t make a lot of sense on the surface. The study notes there are super negative effects when drinking too much. However, drinking in moderation has health benefits. For example, beer has vitamins and nutrients that are good for the body like potassium, calcium, fiber and antioxidants.

Regular consumption of those items help lower the risk of heart disease, kidney stones, rheumatoid arthritis and — in some cases — cancer.

The University of Texas study said there are social and mental health benefits to moderate drinking, too. This is because, the report says, “alcohol can be a great social lubricant, and strong social networks are essential for maintaining mental and physical health.”

Basically, moderate drinkers have a better social life and that is beneficial to their social and emotional health. The university study also surmises that non-drinkers — on the other hand — are more likely to demonstrate signs of depression and are less social.

Source link: MSN