The dose makes the poison: small amounts of alcohol are good against stress
A new study concludes that moderate alcohol consumption benefits heart health by reducing stress in the brain. How this fits in with the image of alcohol as a harmful addictive substance and why it is not a recommendation to drink every day.
Tell me what results you want to hear and I'll find you the relevant study. I sometimes get this impression when I stumble across reports that at first glance say the opposite. Alcohol is one of those topics about which you've probably read some bad things (alcohol can increase the risk of cancer) and some good things (a glass of red wine a day is healthy for the heart). And there are well-founded studies to back up both statements. Why is that?
A small part of the big picture
One explanation for this is that scientific studies rarely look at the big picture, as this would simply go beyond the scope of the research. Researchers therefore look for small areas of their specialism and investigate a clear and usually narrowly defined question. The results are then formulated with these detailed questions in mind and presented in abbreviated form in the media. This can lead to supposedly contradictory statements for the reader.
The dose makes the poison
Another reason for different, scientifically supported statements on a topic often lies in the quantity. The dose really does often make the poison: as with many things, alcohol consumption and its effects are also a question of "how much". It is well known that large quantities of alcohol are harmful to health. But you've probably also read reports that alcohol has a positive effect on health. This is usually because it is about moderate alcohol consumption. In this case, less (alcohol) is more (good for your health).
Moderate alcohol consumption can reduce stress in the brain
For decades, large epidemiological studies have shown that people who consume alcohol in moderation (no more than one drink a day for women and one to two drinks for men) can reduce stress in the brain.r women and one to two drinks for men) have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than people who abstain from alcohol or drink more of it. However, it remains unclear why this is the case. Attempts to explain this using different blood values could not completely solve the puzzle. A research team from Boston has now discovered an answer elsewhere: in the brain.
Less stress in the brain = less strain on the heart
In their new study, the scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital explain why alcohol could be associated with better heart health: It permanently reduces stress signals in the brain. This leads to less strain on the heart.
The study is based on data from more than 50,000 people. Firstly, they were able to confirm that light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease. Due to the large scale of the study, it became clear that the effect was not caused by people's socioeconomic status, activity levels or genetics. Brain scans of the test subjects showed that alcohol consumption permanently lowers the brain's stress level, reducing the strain on the heart for days after the last alcohol consumption.
The explanation: the brain's stress network resembles a competition between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. While the amygdala controls emotions, the prefrontal cortex controls executive functions. In stressful situations, the amygdala sends out panic signals. The prefrontal cortex can help prevent these alarm bells from ringing throughout the body - including in the heart. Alcohol consumption can weaken this alarm effect.
The brain scans showed that the activity of the amygdala was persistently dampened in people with moderate drinking behaviour. This dampened amygdala activity was associated with a 22 per cent reduction in cardiovascular disease.
No recommendation for alcohol consumption
Despite these results, the researchers do not recommend daily alcohol consumption. Even if alcohol appears to have a positive effect on this aspect of the study, there are many other study results that do not give alcohol a favourable testimonial for health in other aspects. And there are plenty of alternatives to reduce stress, such as sport and meditation.
Cover photo: Michael Discenza/Unsplash
Science editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always outside - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.