A long-term study has found definite links between moderate beer drinking and heart attack prevention among women. A research team from Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg conducted the study over the course of an astounding 32 years.
A total of 1,500 women were signed up as test subjects. "Previous research also suggests that alcohol in moderate quantities can have a certain protective effect, but there is still uncertainty as to whether or not this really is the case," said Dominique Hange, one of the study's researchers.
In the end, however, they concluded what had long been suspected. Women have a 30% less likelihood of heart attack with moderate drinking, or around 1-2 pints per week, CBS Atlanta reported. Their beer drinking habits were ranged from "daily" to "never."
Over the years, the research team observed that of the 1,500 participants, 185 suffered a heart attack, 162 suffered a stroke, 160 eventually developed diabetes, and 345 got cancer. The study was stopped in 2000 when the women's ages ranged from 70 to 92 years old, Vice reported.
Researchers realized a connection when it was observed that women who drank in moderation had almost a 1/3 less chance of suffering a heart attack. But there is a drawback. Women who drank more than twice a month had a 50% higher risk of getting cancer.
"Our results have been checked against other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which substantiates the findings," Hange added. "At the same time, we were unable to confirm that moderate wine consumption has the same effect, so our results also need to be confirmed through follow-up studies."
So, apparently beer is good and bad for you. Does the higher risk of cancer still make beer an attractive drink to you? Or is it a deal breaker even if it does somehow prevent heart attacks? Share this article to your friends and get their input too!
