WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 1640
- Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2014 2:40 pm
- Reputation: 1
WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
I knew moderate drinkers lived the longest, but I was shocked that drunks took the silver medal. LINK: Why Do Heavy Drinkers Outlive Nondrinkers?
One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don't drink tend to die sooner than those who do
By John Cloud Monday, Aug. 30, 2010
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/a ... 00,00.html
Follow @TIME
Correction Appended: Aug. 31, 2010
One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don't drink tend to die sooner than those who do. The standard Alcoholics Anonymous explanation for this finding is that many of those who show up as abstainers in such research are actually former hard-core drunks who had already incurred health problems associated with drinking.
But a new paper in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggests that — for reasons that aren't entirely clear — abstaining from alcohol does tend to increase one's risk of dying, even when you exclude former problem drinkers. The most shocking part? Abstainers' mortality rates are higher than those of heavy drinkers.
(See pictures of booze under a microscope.)
Moderate drinking, which is defined as one to three drinks per day, is associated with the lowest mortality rates in alcohol studies. Moderate alcohol use (especially when the beverage of choice is red wine) is thought to improve heart health, circulation and sociability, which can be important because people who are isolated don't have as many family members and friends who can notice and help treat health problems.
But why would abstaining from alcohol lead to a shorter life? It's true that those who abstain from alcohol tend to be from lower socioeconomic classes, since drinking can be expensive. And people of lower socioeconomic status have more life stressors — job and child-care worries that might not only keep them from the bottle but also cause stress-related illnesses over long periods. (They also don't get the stress-reducing benefits of a drink or two after work.)
But even after controlling for nearly all imaginable variables — socioeconomic status, level of physical activity, number of close friends, quality of social support and so on — the researchers (a six-member team led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin) found that over a 20-year period, mortality rates were highest for those who were not current drinkers, regardless of whether they used to be alcoholics, second highest for heavy drinkers and lowest for moderate drinkers.
(Watch TIME's Video "Taste Test: Beer with Extra Buzz.")
The sample of those who were studied included individuals between ages 55 and 65 who had had any kind of outpatient care in the previous three years. The 1,824 participants were followed for 20 years. One drawback of the sample: a disproportionate number, 63%, were men. Just over 69% of the abstainers died during the 20 years, 60% of the heavy drinkers died and only 41% of moderate drinkers died.
These are remarkable statistics. Even though heavy drinking is associated with higher risk for cirrhosis and several types of cancer (particularly cancers in the mouth and esophagus), heavy drinkers are less likely to die than people who don't drink, even if they never had a problem with alcohol. One important reason is that alcohol lubricates so many social interactions, and social interactions are vital for maintaining mental and physical health. As I pointed out last year, nondrinkers show greater signs of depression than those who allow themselves to join the party.
The authors of the new paper are careful to note that even if drinking is associated with longer life, it can be dangerous: it can impair your memory severely and it can lead to nonlethal falls and other mishaps (like, say, cheating on your spouse in a drunken haze) that can screw up your life. There's also the dependency issue: if you become addicted to alcohol, you may spend a long time trying to get off the bottle.
That said, the new study provides the strongest evidence yet that moderate drinking is not only fun but good for you. So make mine a double.
The original version of this article misidentified abstainers (people in the study who were not current drinkers, regardless of their past drinking status) as people who had never drunk. The article has been edited to reflect the correction.
One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don't drink tend to die sooner than those who do
By John Cloud Monday, Aug. 30, 2010
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/a ... 00,00.html
Follow @TIME
Correction Appended: Aug. 31, 2010
One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don't drink tend to die sooner than those who do. The standard Alcoholics Anonymous explanation for this finding is that many of those who show up as abstainers in such research are actually former hard-core drunks who had already incurred health problems associated with drinking.
But a new paper in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggests that — for reasons that aren't entirely clear — abstaining from alcohol does tend to increase one's risk of dying, even when you exclude former problem drinkers. The most shocking part? Abstainers' mortality rates are higher than those of heavy drinkers.
(See pictures of booze under a microscope.)
Moderate drinking, which is defined as one to three drinks per day, is associated with the lowest mortality rates in alcohol studies. Moderate alcohol use (especially when the beverage of choice is red wine) is thought to improve heart health, circulation and sociability, which can be important because people who are isolated don't have as many family members and friends who can notice and help treat health problems.
But why would abstaining from alcohol lead to a shorter life? It's true that those who abstain from alcohol tend to be from lower socioeconomic classes, since drinking can be expensive. And people of lower socioeconomic status have more life stressors — job and child-care worries that might not only keep them from the bottle but also cause stress-related illnesses over long periods. (They also don't get the stress-reducing benefits of a drink or two after work.)
But even after controlling for nearly all imaginable variables — socioeconomic status, level of physical activity, number of close friends, quality of social support and so on — the researchers (a six-member team led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin) found that over a 20-year period, mortality rates were highest for those who were not current drinkers, regardless of whether they used to be alcoholics, second highest for heavy drinkers and lowest for moderate drinkers.
(Watch TIME's Video "Taste Test: Beer with Extra Buzz.")
The sample of those who were studied included individuals between ages 55 and 65 who had had any kind of outpatient care in the previous three years. The 1,824 participants were followed for 20 years. One drawback of the sample: a disproportionate number, 63%, were men. Just over 69% of the abstainers died during the 20 years, 60% of the heavy drinkers died and only 41% of moderate drinkers died.
These are remarkable statistics. Even though heavy drinking is associated with higher risk for cirrhosis and several types of cancer (particularly cancers in the mouth and esophagus), heavy drinkers are less likely to die than people who don't drink, even if they never had a problem with alcohol. One important reason is that alcohol lubricates so many social interactions, and social interactions are vital for maintaining mental and physical health. As I pointed out last year, nondrinkers show greater signs of depression than those who allow themselves to join the party.
The authors of the new paper are careful to note that even if drinking is associated with longer life, it can be dangerous: it can impair your memory severely and it can lead to nonlethal falls and other mishaps (like, say, cheating on your spouse in a drunken haze) that can screw up your life. There's also the dependency issue: if you become addicted to alcohol, you may spend a long time trying to get off the bottle.
That said, the new study provides the strongest evidence yet that moderate drinking is not only fun but good for you. So make mine a double.
The original version of this article misidentified abstainers (people in the study who were not current drinkers, regardless of their past drinking status) as people who had never drunk. The article has been edited to reflect the correction.
- Username Taken
- Raven
- Posts: 13937
- Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 6:53 pm
- Reputation: 6010
Re: WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
Not surprised.
Lots of other life-style issues that make me wonder.
Vegetarians - do they live longer than meat eaters? I doubt it.
Middle aged guys jogging along the riverside. Who do they think they're kidding?
Can one of you guys take this joint while I go and get some more coldies!
Lots of other life-style issues that make me wonder.
Vegetarians - do they live longer than meat eaters? I doubt it.
Middle aged guys jogging along the riverside. Who do they think they're kidding?
Can one of you guys take this joint while I go and get some more coldies!
- Duncan
- Sir Duncan
- Posts: 8149
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 8:22 pm
- Reputation: 2357
- Location: Wonder Why Central
Re: WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
I'm not surprised at the findings. It's probably got nothing to do with health issues. As an example, most heavy drinkers would spend a lot of time in the safety behind a bar or in bed sleeping it off, where as a teetotaller would be behind the wheel of his car just waiting for a accident to happen.
Cambodia,,,, Don't fall in love with her.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 1640
- Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2014 2:40 pm
- Reputation: 1
Re: WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
Severe calorie restriction has consistently been proven to increase lifespans in numerous animal & human studies. Starve yourself for 80 years - now that's living ! I'd be begging for my dirt nap after about a month.
Re: WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
today an article in the dailymail, that daily alcohol consumers have more grey matter in the brain, therefore better memory.
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 13458
- Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 11:37 pm
- Reputation: 3974
Re: WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
I am still hesitating between heavy and moderate drinking - in the meantime it's better for my health than not drinking at all .
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 4267
- Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 1:06 pm
- Reputation: 471
Re: WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
I'm on the edge between heavy to complete alcoholic.
I will let you know when I finish this bottle of whiskey.
I will let you know when I finish this bottle of whiskey.
Re: WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
Feck, you're slow!
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 13458
- Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 11:37 pm
- Reputation: 3974
Re: WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
Nah, think he's passed out...
- General Mackevili
- The General
- Posts: 18425
- Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 5:24 pm
- Reputation: 3419
- Location: The Kingdom
- Contact:
Re: WTF ? Heavy Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers
I can't imagine anything worse than a long, sober life.
Someone once told me you will live 5 years longer if you run 2 hours every day.
I did the math and realized you spend those extra 5 years FUCKING RUNNING! No thank you.
Someone once told me you will live 5 years longer if you run 2 hours every day.
I did the math and realized you spend those extra 5 years FUCKING RUNNING! No thank you.
"Life is too important to take seriously."
"Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."
Have a story or an anonymous news tip for CEO? Need advertising? CONTACT ME
Cambodia Expats Online is the most popular community in the country. JOIN TODAY
Follow CEO on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Google+
Instagram
"Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."
Have a story or an anonymous news tip for CEO? Need advertising? CONTACT ME
Cambodia Expats Online is the most popular community in the country. JOIN TODAY
Follow CEO on social media:
YouTube
Google+
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 23 Replies
- 4041 Views
-
Last post by Random Dude
-
- 82 Replies
- 23793 Views
-
Last post by AndyKK
-
- 12 Replies
- 3473 Views
-
Last post by Doc67
-
- 16 Replies
- 3549 Views
-
Last post by Doc67
-
- 12 Replies
- 3344 Views
-
Last post by theKid
-
- 39 Replies
- 8426 Views
-
Last post by hanno
-
- 1 Replies
- 804 Views
-
Last post by CEOCambodiaNews
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: John Bingham and 489 guests