Drink Alcohol?
By Dr. Mercola
According to the latest statistics, 57 percent of Americans drink alcohol at least once a month.1 Alcohol consumption is a controversial issue. Some studies suggest “moderate” consumption is harmless; others propose it may even have some health benefits.
For instance, research shows people who have one to two drinks a day may have a significantly reduced risk of death from heart disease and “all causes” compared to those who never drink alcohol.2
The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans also notes that “moderate consumption of alcohol [is a component] of a beneficial dietary pattern in most studies.”3 That said, “moderation” can be a moving target, depending on your age, height, weight, gender, health status, emotional state and more.
And, while some studies show benefits, others show alcohol consumption increases your risk of chronic diseases such as cancer — even at moderate intake levels.4 Moreover, when compared to other recreational drugs, such as tobacco and marijuana, alcohol is the deadliest.5
While it’s certainly good to know you can mitigate the effects of alcohol by exercising more, I would be remiss were I not to mention that chronic alcohol consumption tends to impede your fitness goals.
Not only are you less inclined to exercise if you don’t feel well from the night before, but alcohol also contributes to dehydration and weight gain, and in higher doses can affect testosterone production, muscle protein synthesis, and leucine oxidation, thereby reducing your chances of improving your fitness and building muscle mass.
So, as long as you continue drinking, your exercise merely ends up serving as a stop-gap of sorts, to prevent more serious health problems from developing. And, if you’re making all that effort, wouldn’t it make more sense to maximize your payout by cutting out the booze?
Sources and References
- 1 Niaaa.nih.gov Alcohol Facts and Statistics 2014
- 2 Epidemiology. 1990 Sep;1(5):342-8
- 3 Health.gov 2015 Dietary Guidelines
- 4 New York Times December 21, 2015
- 5 Sci Rep. 2015; 5: 8126
- 6 Reuters September 8, 2016
- 7 Gastroenterology 2015 Aug;149(2):367-78.e5; quiz e14-5
- 8 American Journal of Physiology: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology May 1, 2012; 302(9): G966-G978
- 9 British Journal of Sports Medicine August 31, 2016 [Epub ahead of print]
- 10 CNN September 8, 2016
- 11 Time September 7, 2016
- 12 Medical News Today September 8, 2016
- 13 Daily Mail September 7, 2016
- 14 Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research 2013 Sep;37(9):1508-15
- 15 Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research June 21, 2010, DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01251.x
- 16 Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry 1994; 9(64)
- 17 Agents and Actions April 1974; 4(2): 125-130
- 18, 19 Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics 2006 Oct;43(5):306-11
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