ADVERTISEMENT
Close
In This Issue, Subscribe, Free Issue, Contact Us
ADVERTISEMENT
 
Nutrition and Weight Loss > Healthy Eating > Good Food > To Drink or Not to Drink: Alcohol in Moderation
Text Size Plus Minus | Print Email

To Drink or Not to Drink: Alcohol in Moderation

Get the health benefits from alcohol - and avoid the pitfalls

By Nancy Gottesman

One study indicates drinking helps reduce heart disease. Another finds that alcohol increases cancer risk. So what’s the best alcohol policy when it comes to your health? If you enjoy wine, beer or spirits, have a glass occasionally – but not much more than that.

“For many people, alcohol in moderation can raise HDL (good) cholesterol and reduce blood clotting, thereby lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke, and possibly reducing your risk of getting type 2 diabetes,” says Amy P. Campbell, a registered dietitian at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

The important part of that message is that “alcohol in moderation” means one or two glasses of wine, beer or spirits. Not three. And it may be a different story if you take some common medications for arthritis. Drinking alcohol and taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as naproxen (Aleve), increases your risk of stomach bleeding. Taking a regular dose of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and drinking alcohol can put your liver at risk. And many rheumatologists advise people taking methotrexate not to drink alcohol at all, or to limit themselves to two glasses per month.

In addition, drinking more than two glasses per day may actually increase your risk for cancer of the colon, breast, esophagus, mouth and throat, says Karen Collins, a registered dietitian and nutrition advisor to the American Institute for Cancer Research in Jamestown, NY. And a new study found that even moderate amounts of alcohol may increase the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Ms. Joey
07 Nov 2011, 13:05
I am a healthy 72 year old woman. I look and act much younger but in the last year I never
feel my drinks. I've drank socially since I was 18 but lately I feel nothing when I drink.
I can abstain and I have never HAD to have a drink, I even had a liver test and my Dr. said maybe your liver is too good. That makes me wonder if some of my meds are keeping me from feeling a glow.
Teresa
20 Oct 2011, 18:46
My Rhuemy said 2 drinks per week. I'm on MEthotrexate,prednisone, mobic and Humira.
Pharm student:
02 Oct 2011, 01:53
@Josephine vargas: I just saw your comment. I know things must be tough, but both of the medications you are on can actually cause sexual side effects (MAINLY NEGATIVE). Very sorry to hear that.

The Best of Luck and Love.
Tom
16 Jul 2011, 16:25
Ahhh Codiene the answer to all joint pain with a smattering of oxy contin on bad days. Love modern medicine
Sylvia Bogart
20 May 2011, 18:28
I read about people on all kinds of prescribed and over the counter drugs, I also read about their side affects and what they are made of. We used to have herbs to take care of all our ills at our disposal. the FDA has made sure that isn't happening anymore and when you go to a Dr. they are really quick to write out a prescription tell you about the pitfalls of drinking alcohol and pat you on the head without any test other than their expertise. I know how alcohol is made and it is more pure in its content than any drug they have on the market right now it also has less side affects because it is out of your system in less than 24 hours. Can any drug strut that?
Josephine vargas
05 Apr 2011, 17:45
I had 2 back surgeries and since then i have constant lower back pain. i take medicine everyday and the pain do not go away. my blood pressure is under control with Norvasc. i also take lorazepam since the death of my daughter in 1995. i always feel very tired. i don't drink, but my friends say i should at least take a little wine or a beer on weekends. i feel very unhappy. my sex drive is also gone. i have been married for 29 years. what can i do? i am not a diabetic. thanks for your answer. sincerely, jossie.
Yo duuuudeeee!
10 Mar 2011, 13:19
Hoooooow youuu doiiiiinnng!? 14.
elam
28 Jan 2011, 09:16
All of us are different and our bodies and life stories are different too. I had a great uncle, who lived to be 102. He had a shot of whiskey at the beginning of every day to get himself started. He didn't drink more or less than that. On the other hand I had another uncle, who drank all day long and lived to be 52. The other aunts and uncles and my parents, who drank moderately or not at all lived to their mid seventies to early eighties so it didn't seem to make a difference if they drank occassionally or not at all.
Dave
09 Jun 2010, 13:43
Hey, take a look at the old timers. See what they do. Back 50 years ago when I was a kid the old timers never took tylenol or any of the other poison sold today, but they sure had a few drinks. Stay lean, keep active, eat a balanced diet, keep it natural (after all hormones, pesticides and everything else came after WW2). You'll make it to 80 and then from there is a crap shoot. So imbibe and live life.
jacki
14 Mar 2010, 01:43
Doctors continue to give reasons why certain food or beverage should be avoided, then at a later time retract those reasons and say it is o'k to consume the very food or beverage they warned against. Common sense should dictate the danger of any food or beverage that is not consumed in moderation. With alcohol however, I agree that if you are on medication and mix alcoholic drinks, you are putting yourself in danger. When a preacher tells you not to drink,we can justify it by bibical stories of "water turned to wine and conversely, wine is a mocker strong drink is raging...." But health is what I focus on and have changed my behavior toward consuming alcoholic beverages, especially on vacation. My spiritual mind backs it up.
shirle
03 Feb 2010, 05:02
Hi, I'm a ~~**newbie**~~ and I'm glad to meet you all. I love great writers and advisors. I especially love the great writers and their stories. If I have any stories to tell I promise I will share. Respectfully Shirle
Swaminathan
08 Jan 2010, 04:58
human mind has a nature of resorting in comfort. It tries to avoid all pressures and run after pleasure. Almost all internet pages recommend to 'cut short' your drinking habit rather abstain from it. I would advise you one thing. If you have a habit of drinking in most of the parties and weekends, be sure that you are getting increasingly trapped by the alcoholic addiction. The best way is to abstain; stop and never think about occasional drinking as control of spirit over 'spirit' is almost impossible. Enjoy occasional drinks and get ready for a premature death leaving all your hard work to be enjoyed by the next generation or keep it away once and for all from your beautiful life.
angela flores
26 Oct 2009, 08:54
huh? you mean to say no alcohol at all when in mtx? i dont think i can live without alcohol. i do drink, what can i say. is there alternative for mtx?
Carol Schaerer
13 Oct 2009, 17:41
I've been drinking a glass of red wine every day since I had heart surgery in Feb.'05. However, yesterday I heart Dr. Amen (Change Your Heart; Change Your Life) say do not drink a glass of wine a day, that it diminishes your brain. He said perhaps one glass a week. I am going to quit drinking one glass a day & see if my memory improves (which has been getting bad the last couple of years).
Rosemary Snow
16 May 2009, 07:41
Nancy, thanks for pointing out the risks of drinking alcoholic beverages while taking Aleve or Tylenol. The reccommendations for use of alcoholic beverages are usually reserved for those who already drink while those who do not drink regularly are cautioned not to start. Why? Because alcoholism is a dreadful disease which is devasting to those who acquire it, their families and often those who get in the way of their cars or burning cigarettes. If alcoholic beverages were just being introduced, instead of having such a long tradition of use, they would have to be sold with prescriptions because of their effects on our bodies.
Unlike some other drug addictions, alcoholism can take years to develop. Someone who drinks only occasionally and starts to drink regularly may become an alcoholic because of this use and erase any preceived benefits.
Peace, Rosemary
freda redinger
16 Mar 2009, 12:11
dose drinking coffe increase arthritis pain?

Leave a Comment

The comment function provides the opportunity to comment on the content above.

General comments or questions to Arthritis Today editors and medical experts can be submitted here. Past medical questions and answers are available here.

Promotion of products and services and other inappropriate comments are prohibited and will be removed. If you spot one of these before we do, please send an alert.

All fields are required but only your name and comment will be displayed. Your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose.

Name:
Email:
Text:

ADVERTISEMENT