Does Moderate Alcohol Consumption Prolong Life

Data from epidemiologic studies within recent decades demonstrate that death rates from coronary heart disease are lower among consumers of small to moderate amounts of alcohol than among non-drinkers. Some of the proposed mechanisms for the beneficial health effects of moderate alcohol consumtion are: alcohol lowers harmful LDL-cholesterol levels; alcohol raises protective HDL-cholesterol levels; alcohol decreases formation of blood clots in the arteries; alcohol increases coronary blood flow; alcohol increases estrogen levels. This report presents the health effects of moderate alcohol consumption so the general public can make informed decisions.