Alcohol, Sex Difference and the Heart

The Danish epidermiologist team has just posted in the online BMJ that there is a slight difference in the effect of mild alcoholism on CAD risk. It appears from their study that females drink less often and less than males (almost half the amount). It appears that with the older females, the amount they drink is more important than the regularity of drinking, in reducing their CAD risk. No mention is made as to whether the alcohol was wine, or something stronger. While in males, the regularity of drinking is more important than the amount, and in this group of males, once a day appears the best. Please note that this is a registry data, and only adds to the growing body of evidence that mild to moderate alcoholic consumption is cardio-protective. It is also important to note that the authors warn against heavy drinking as that will negate all the cardio-protective benefit, and will be obviously detrimental to health, being associated with a greater incidence of chronic liver disease, cancers and of course, road traffic accidents.