Alcoholic beverage study shows daily drink may benefit women

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(CBS) Alcoholic beverages seem to be the toast of longevity researchers.

A new study suggests that middle-aged women who drink alcohol regularly are more likely than occasional drinkers or nondrinkers to enjoy "successful aging." That's the researchers' term for being free of heart disease and other major chronic diseases and having no major mental or physical impairment.

The authors of the study tracked the health and drinking habits of almost 14,000 women who had enrolled in the ongoing Nurses' Health Study at midlife (average age 58) and again at about age 70. They found that women who had five to seven drinks a week were 20 percent more likely to age successfully than nondrinkers.

Women who consumed alcohol "at regular patterns throughout the week, rather than on a single occasion, had somewhat better odds of successful ageing," the study authors concluded.

Would drinking more than that have been even more beneficial? No such luck. It's long been known that heavy drinking raises the risk for liver disease, cancer, and other potentially deadly illnesses, as well as for depression, relationship problems, and car accidents.

The authors of the study - published in the journal PLoS medicine - pointed out that their findings didn't prove that regular alcohol consumption was responsible for the increased likelihood of successful aging among these mostly white women. In addition, they said that their findings might not apply to men or to women of other ethnic groups.

But the findings do seem to lend additional support to the U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, which say that having up to one drink a day for women and two a day for men may bring health benefits.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has more on women and alcohol.

[lauradavis23]

Researchers with the University of Rochester said that daily moderate drinking, which they define as two drinks per day, decreased the risk of atherosclerosis in mice. http://******/ntFqrl

[puzzler125]

What drink? What size? With or without food? There's just not enough real information here to be of value to us. There's a huge differences between a Brandy Alexander and a glass of red or white wine.

[Danize]

Well, but consider this. According to this study, women who have those several drinks at once and sporatically did not benefit, only the one drink a day types did. The former group suggests social isolation, the latter sociabilty and emotional attachments. This I think is the reason for more successful aging, not alcohol itself.

[hamiltongrad]

EXCELLENT point. It is probably more important factor.

[voxpopulus]

I don't see why. Heavy drinking on a Saturday night with mates is MORE social than a solitary glass of wine with dinner.

[BettyVA]

dolmance, I'm sorry for your loss, but I have to point out that liver disease with bleeding of the esophagus from moderate drinking is QUITE rare.

[dolmance-2009]

Unless they have a predisposition to liver disease, in which case ten years of moderate drinking can make them come down with a condition called variceal bleeding where they hemorrhage out of their mouths and drown in their own blood, like my own brother did a few months back.

[Buck_N_Farack]

Yep, it helps deal with middle aged men.