moderate drinking

Finally, distilled spirits exhibit a wide range in terms of alcohol concentration. Typically, many familiar forms of distilled spirits (e.g., vodka, whiskey, gin, or rum) have alcohol contents of 40 to 50 percent (often expressed as 80 to 100 proof). Considerable variation may occur even within these categories, with the alcohol content of some varieties being as low as 30 percent and others as high as 75 percent. Liqueurs and cordials, usually grouped with distilled spirits, often are less concentrated than standard liquors.

Risks of heavy alcohol use

In fact, however, such comparisons are rather complicated, because even within one beverage category (e.g., beer, wine, or distilled spirits), the alcohol contents may differ considerably. Many current definitions of moderate drinking are based on a specific number of drinks consumed during a designated time period (e.g., per day or per week). This definition, however, raises the obvious question, What is a “drink” ?

Other chronic diseases

On the one hand, this diversity can be advantageous in that the four disciplines complement each other in revealing drinking patterns and problems. On the other hand, the variability also can be a handicap, because the information collected about alcohol consumption often is not comparable across studies. For example, one survey may ask questions in a way that permits a diagnosis of alcohol dependence. Another study, however, may ask questions about alcohol consumption and alcohol problems without including specific diagnostic criteria, and thus a diagnosis cannot be made. Even moderate drinking may raise your risk for some types of heart disease and cancer. For example, the risk of breast cancer increases even at low levels of drinking (for example, less than 1 drink in a day).

In the past, most alcohol surveys were conducted via face-to-face interviews and therefore were labor intensive and expensive. The rapid progress in computer technology, however, has led to the development and use of computer-assisted telephone interview systems. Because they are considerably less costly than face-to-face interviews, telephone surveys are rapidly gaining popularity among survey researchers. Scientists are divided as to whether the assessment mode influences reported alcohol consumption.

moderate drinking

Health Products

Alcohol interacts in potentially dangerous ways with a variety of medications, including acetaminophen, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, painkillers, and sedatives. It is also addictive, especially for people with a family history of alcoholism. The way to prove the value of any kind of treatment, including nutritional practices like moderate drinking, is to conduct randomized controlled trials. In such trials, the treatment or practice is assigned at random to some people and not to others.

Loose use of the terms “moderate” and “a drink” has fueled some of the ongoing debate about alcohol’s impact on health. Certain health problems — like depression or anxiety, sleep problems, and chronic pain — can put you at a higher risk for alcohol use disorder. If drinking causes problems in your life, you may have alcohol use disorder (also called alcoholism).

  1. Limit milk/dairy (1-2 servings/day) and juice (1 small glass/day).
  2. “The fundamental issue is who is in the comparison group,” says psychiatrist Sarah Hartz of Washington University in St. Louis.
  3. About half of cases of liver disease are attributed to drinking.
  4. It’s possible that the fast-acting enzyme breaks down alcohol before it can have a beneficial effect on HDL and clotting factors.

Alcohol misuse refers drinking in a manner, situation, amount, or frequency that could cause harm to the person who drinks or to those around them. But, as the experts outline in the Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, most studies have found a lower risk of death among moderate drinkers when compared to folks who drank more. And, as you might expect, when you drink more heavily your all-cause mortality risk goes up, or you’re more likely to die.

Most of the alcohol is broken down in the liver by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). ADH transforms ethanol, the type of alcohol in alcohol beverages, into acetaldehyde, a toxic, carcinogenic compound. Generally, acetaldehyde is quickly broken down to a less toxic compound, acetate, by how to store urine for drug test aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Acetate then is broken down, mainly in tissues other than the liver, into carbon dioxide and water, which are easily eliminated. To a lesser degree, other enzymes (CYP2E1 and catalase) also break down alcohol to acetaldehyde.

The active ingredient in alcoholic beverages, a simple molecule called ethanol, affects the body in many different ways. It directly influences the stomach, brain, heart, gallbladder, and liver. It affects levels of lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and insulin in the blood, as well as inflammation and coagulation.

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