The truth about alcohol and your health...

Conflicting studies abound to determine whether alcohol is good for you. The conclusions that can be drawn.


Alcohol: good or bad?

Studies, and other studies examining very specific aspects of each health problem, and the contradictions that often result can be frustrating. Alcohol consumption is one of those questions. Nearly 80% of Canadians over the age of 15 drink regularly, it is therefore crucial to know where the truth lies. We analyzed the studies and found that there is two sides to every story. But do not worry, we have selected some conclusions for you.


Alcohol and cancer risk

It increases your risk of cancer: In 2009, a study of more than one million women in the United Kingdom found that even low-dose or moderate alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer. (The guidelines from Health Canada for low-risk possible up to 10 drinks per week for women and no more than two drinks per day). The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute showed that alcohol may be the cause of almost 13% of cancers of the breast, liver, rectum and digestive system. The reason? Scientists from the University of Minnesota found that the decomposition of alcohol from acetaldehyde, which damages DNA and triggers chromosomal abnormalities may lead to the formation of cancerous cells.

It reduces your risk of cancer: red wine contains resveratrol, has long been recognized to reduce inflammation, cholesterol, heart disease, and yes, even some forms of cancer. In 2012, a study by the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, published in the Journal of Women's Health, found that the chemical, which is found in the skin and seeds of red grapes, increases slightly testosterone in premenopausal women and decreases estrogen levels and the risk of developing breast cancer.


Alcohol and your brain

It hurts your brain more alcohol you drink, the more your brain becomes small. The decrease in brain volume, a natural sign of aging, is estimated at 2% per decade, according to Carol Ann Paul of Boston University School of Public Health and lead author of a study published in 2008 in the Archives of Neurology on association of alcohol consumption and brain volume. Paul wanted to know if alcohol can protect against brain shrinkage, but found that the opposite is true. Even moderate consumption has reduced the volume of the brain and is associated with cognitive decline and dementia.

It helps your brain: beneficial effects of alcohol on the brain are a relatively new phenomenon, but the research is progressing well. Contrary to the adage that beer kills brain cells, new research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption leads to better cognitive skills and learning aids memory and more. Moreover, in 2001, a review of over 140 studies showed that a drink a day for women (or two men) reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer's by 23%.


Alcohol and bone

It is bad for your bones: excessive consumption of alcohol, particularly among young women, is linked to the development of osteoporosis, according to the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. In addition, heavy drinkers are more prone to bone loss and fractures, due to an increased risk of experiencing falls while intoxicated.

It helps your bones because beer contains silicon, it has long been linked to bone health. And more recent studies, such as Oregon State University published in the journal Menopause in 2012, found that moderate amounts of alcohol promote bone health in women and reduces their risk of osteoporosis. Menopausal women who drank one or two glasses a day, several times a week, found a much lower rate of bone turnover, the replacement of old bone with new bone which increases the risk of osteoporosis.



Alcohol and weight

It makes you fat: a 1995 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking alcohol during a meal increases the abuse of fatty foods. And then said Mavis Jones ECHO: Improving Women's Health in Ontario (a government agency in Ontario), "Alcohol slows down the metabolism, so it is more difficult to maintain a healthy weight."

It helps you stay slim: a 2010 study from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston followed more than 19,000 women for 13 years. The researchers found an inverse relationship between weight gain and alcohol consumption, despite the extra calories dipped into alcohol. In other words, women who did not drink gained more weight than those who drank a little.