The American Heart Association (AHA) and many other significant health organizations caution against excessive drinking since it can lead to high blood pressure, obesity, and stroke. Although the American Heart Association believes that moderate drinking—no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks or less per day for men—is permissible, it also discourages people from using alcohol to enhance their health.
Conflicting research regarding the health effects of light to moderate alcohol use is the source of this complicated advise. While some studies have suggested that even little drinking may be detrimental due to inherited traits (see “Using genetics to examine alcohol’s effects”), other studies have searched for ways that moderate drinking could be beneficial to the heart.
There is little proof that alcohol may improve blood flow, increase antioxidant levels, or elevate HDL (good) cholesterol levels. However, none of these explanations have shown any merit. Reduced stress is another factor, according to a recent analysis.