A glass of red a day: that’s good for your heart – right? Or not then? Rob Bovens, senior researcher into alcohol addiction at the scientific institute Tranzo (Tilburg University) separates the facts from the fables.
“Fables about alcohol arise because popular magazines often lack the nuances of scientific research. And: the simple truth is that people just want to drink. They selectively absorb information. They remember what suits them and ignore what they don’t want to know. Like the fact that alcohol is bad for your health.” That says Rob Bovens, senior researcher at Tranzo research institute (Tilburg University) and involved in alcohol addiction research for years. He was involved in government campaigns such as Booze destroys more than you like and more recently IkPas.
In addition, according to Bovens, the following applies to people over 50: “As the years go by, the body will process alcohol less easily. This is because the aging body changes. Due to the decrease in body water and an increase in body fat, plus a reduced function of the liver, people have a lower tolerance for alcohol and a faster intoxication. That results in organ damage relatively sooner.”
What do people notice about this in practice? “They are less resistant to alcohol. This applies even more to women in the menopause, because hormonal changes are taking place. This will improve after the transition.” Fact.
Below Bovens discusses more facts and fables about alcohol and health.
One glass of wine a day is better for your health than not drinking
MYTH. “This is often said based on perhaps the most highly cited study on alcohol and health by University of Calgary Paul Ronksley in 2011. But this study was wrong. First, the results only applied to a very limited group of participants: men aged 40 to 50 and women immediately after the menopause, who also ate very healthy. And more importantly: the control group – ie the people who did not drink – turned out to have many ex-alcoholic addicts. Although they no longer drank, they still lived an unhealthy life, had lived an unhealthy life or were on medication that prohibits drinking. That distorted the picture.”
A glass of wine or beer relaxes.
FACT (in part). “It can indeed help with the stress, at least the first glass. Alcohol is a dampening substance, so it also dampens unpleasant feelings such as tension. But if you continue to drink or use it regularly, you increase the risk of tension.”
Alcohol is good for heart and blood vessels.
MYTH. “It used to be said that a small amount of alcohol would be good, but more recent research shows that this statement is no longer tenable. Drinking a lot of alcohol can lead to high blood pressure, which greatly increases the risk of a heart attack and further increases the risk of cardiac arrhythmias.”
If you drink a glass during the day, you have an alcohol problem.
MYTH. “Not by definition, but it is more nuanced. The point is: what role does alcohol play in your life? What does alcohol do to you? Do you need it to relax after a busy day? If you compulsively walk to the fridge every afternoon to grab a beer or pour a glass of wine – you may wonder why you are doing that.”
Drink makes you demented
undecided. “Science says that little alcohol protects against dementia and that excessive drinking actually has a harmful effect. But the last word has not yet been said. The combination dementia and alcohol is in any case not a good combination. When people with dementia have one drink, they forget that they had also had a drink shortly before, and again after that. But opinions are divided on whether people also become demented from drinking.”
Alcohol stimulates a good sex life
MYTH. “Perhaps alcohol induces the lust, because you loosen up. But in principle you perform worse in bed with alcohol.”
Alcohol is a nice nightcap
FACT. “People who drink alcohol before going to bed do indeed fall asleep faster. We know this from our sleep study, in which participants keep a diary, among other things. They report that they fall asleep easily, but they often sleep more restlessly afterwards than without alcohol. They sleep lighter, wake up more often, have to go to the toilet several times.”
Alcohol increases the risk of cancer
FACT. “That applies to various types of cancer. It does not matter what type of alcohol you drink: beer, red wine or spirits. The risk of breast cancer in particular increases, even with one glass a day. The digestive system is also a known danger zone. Gastroenterologists will always ask about your alcohol consumption when you have complaints. According to the World Health Organization WHO, there are 200 diseases in which alcohol plays a role to a greater or lesser extent.”
The older, the more alcoholic
FACT. “As the age increases, the alcohol consumption of the Dutch increases. Someone under the age of 25 drinks on average two to three times a week. That increases every decade. For example, people aged 65 and older drink alcohol on average five to six times a week. This is apparent from research among participants in IkPas.”
Men have a harder time leaving their drink than women
MYTH. “Our research shows that women find it more difficult to cut down than men. Why? Again, this is about the function that alcohol plays in their lives. In women, alcohol is more integrated into everyday life; a glass of wine ‘belongs’ to social activities. While cooking, having lunch with friends: these are things you do anyway. This often works differently for men; they usually drink at events that are not always or every day, such as watching football.”
