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23 February 2011 Last updated at 01:20 GMT
Glasses of wine Scientists at the University of Calgary reviewed 84 pieces of
research between 1980 and 2009
An alcoholic drink a day can help keep heart disease at bay, according to a
review of 30 years of research.
The work, published in the British Medical Journal, showed a 14% to 25%
reduction in heart disease in moderate drinkers compared with people who had
never drunk alcohol.
Another article, by the same Canadian research group, showed alcohol increased
"good" cholesterol levels.
But experts said this was not a reason to start drinking.
For many years, studies have suggested that drinking alcohol in moderation has
some health benefits.
Scientists at the University of Calgary reviewed 84 pieces of research between
1980 and 2009.
Reduced risk
One unit of alcohol in the UK, equivalent to half a pint of normal beer,
contains 8g of pure alcohol.
Start Quote
If you don't drink, this is not a reason to start. Similar results can be
achieved by being physically active and eating a balanced and healthy diet
End Quote Cathy Ross British Heart Foundation
This review showed that the overall risk of death was lower for those consuming
small quantities of alcohol, 2.5g to 14.9g, compared with non-drinkers.
The researchers also say regular moderate drinking reduced all forms of
cardiovascular disease by up to 25%.
However, while consuming small quantities of alcohol had a beneficial effect on
the number of strokes and stroke deaths, the risk increased substantially with
heavier drinking.
Professor William Ghali, from the Institute for Population and Public Health at
the University of Calgary, told the BBC: "Our extensive review shows that
drinking one or one to two drinks would be favourable.
"There is this potentially slippery slope, most notably with social problems
and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, but the overall mortality including
cancer and accidents shows you would be better with alcohol."
Moderation
Cathy Ross, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This
analysis of previous studies supports what we already know about moderate
drinking reducing our risk of cardiovascular disease.
"However, drinking more than sensible amounts of alcohol does not offer any
protection and can cause high blood pressure, stroke, some cancers and damage
to our heart.
"If you don't drink, this is not a reason to start. Similar results can be
achieved by being physically active and eating a balanced and healthy diet."
The researchers believe any beneficial effects are down to the alcohol itself,
rather than anything else in a drink.
Their second study suggests that drinking up to 15g a day for women or 30g for
men increased levels of good cholesterol, adiponectin and apolipoprotein, which
have been linked to a healthy heart.
They said this pattern was true for all types of beverage.
The research group believes that governments may have to change their messages
on public health to argue for drinking alcohol in moderation.
Prof Ghali said: "There's no doubt a public health campaign would be
controversial. We need to ponder the message of how a doctor talks to a patient
and how the government talks to the people."
Professor Lindsey Davies, president of the Faculty of Public Health, added: "It
just strengthens the argument that a little bit does you good, but a lot does
you harm, but that always makes a public health message hard."