NIH Study
Leads to Review of Alcohol Guidelines
With some studies showing that drinking too much alcohol could cause
problems -- and others showing moderate drinking brings health benefits
-- the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has conducted a new analysis
of the plethora of research on alcohol's effects, the Associated
Press reported July 28.
The review, which aimed to alleviate confusion about positive and
negative alcohol effects, looked at how many drinks provide the
health benefits without the harm, and whether people at risk, such
as those with diabetes, should abstain from drinking.
The NIH analysis determined that the health benefits of alcohol
depend on a person's age, gender and overall medical history.
The review found that for the general population, consuming two
drinks a day for men and one a day for women is linked to lower
mortality and is unlikely to cause harm. A drink is defined as 5
ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.
"We are not encouraging anybody to start drinking," said
Lorraine Gunzerath of the NIH's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcohol, who led the analysis.
The study is published in the June 2004 journal Alcoholism: Clinical
& Experimental Research.
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