Is alcohol bad for heart health?

Consistent with earlier studies, the light and moderate drinkers had the lowest heart disease risk (even better than people who abstained from drinking). «Instead, most research has found that, in general, people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol often have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.» A 2022 study notes that while some evidence indicates a potential cardioprotective benefit of light to moderate alcohol intake, these benefits may instead relate to other facts about alcohol and heart health factors.

This plain‑English guide unpacks what alcohol really does to your heart—good, bad, and downright ugly—so you can make choices based on science rather than folklore. We’ll weave in fresh first‑hand accounts of people who’ve ditched or slashed the booze and what happened to their blood pressure, pulse, and ECG print‑outs. Regularly consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain and obesity, which increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. There is a clear link between regularly drinking too much alcohol and having high blood pressure (hypertension). In the short term, binge drinking can put you at risk of falls, accidents, anti-social behaviour and alcohol poisoning, as well as affecting your mood and memory.

Heavy alcohol use is clearly harmful. But the cardiovascular effects of light to moderate drinking remain uncertain.

However, evidence suggests an association between consuming alcohol and problems with the cardiovascular system. Some claim switching to vodka “for the purity” spares the heart. Ethanol is ethanol; your myocardium cannot differentiate source. What does vary is serving size deception—one cocktail may equal two or three units. Researchers at Monash University (2024) branded cocktails “stealth bombs” after observing patrons underestimate them by 40 percent.

The Impact of Alcohol on Heart Disease Risk: What You Need to Know

If you’re an occasional drinker, there’s no cause for worry. But it may be worthwhile learning about what counts as binge drinking and whether or not you may be drinking too much and don’t even know it. The recommended limits outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are two drinks per day for males and one drink per day for females. Alcohol, in particular, can increase the risk of several conditions that fall under the term CVD. Read on to learn more about the effect of alcohol on heart health. The effect of alcohol on cardiovascular health is complicated.

To get any health benefits from alcohol, keep your drinking light. Heavy drinking can make you more likely to get serious health problems like liver disease, cancer, and peptic ulcers, among others. Regular or high alcohol use can hurt your heart and lead to diseases of the heart muscle, called cardiomyopathy. Drinking alcohol regularly also can raise your blood pressure.

Health Conditions

Consequently, this increases blood pressure and the amount of blood pumped out of the heart. The study revealed that more than 70% of mice given alcohol to mimic binge drinking developed AFib. However, when treated with a molecule called Alda-1, none of the mice developed the condition.

• However, if someone wants to drink, it is best to stay within the recommended limits.
• Alcohol by volume (ABV) is a measure of how much alcohol is in a given drink.
• The study revealed that more than 70% of mice given alcohol to mimic binge drinking developed AFib.
• If you do drink as much as 14 units per week, it’s best to spread this evenly over 3 days or more.

That means, if you’re living with other medical conditions and/or taking certain medications, this will all have an impact on how alcohol affects you. Alcohol by volume (ABV) is a measure of how much alcohol is in a given drink. Drinks with a higher concentration of alcohol have a higher ABV. The size of a serving — as set by the Department of Agriculture — depends on how strong that drink is. The World Heart Federation (WHF) is an umbrella organisation representing the global cardiovascular community, uniting patient, scientific and civil society groups. Together with its Members, WHF influences policies, shares knowledge and inspires behaviour change to achieve heart health for everyone.

• It now appears that alcohol is not the healthy elixir once thought.
• «The more people drank per week, the greater the risk,» says Dr. Aragam.
• The recommended limits outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are two drinks per day for males and one drink per day for females.
• As such, evidence instead suggests that drinking alcohol in any amount can be harmful.

Whether it’s a glass of red wine with your turkey or toasting champagne for the new year, alcohol definitely becomes more present during the holiday season. And while enjoying celebratory spirits in moderation is alright for most people, it’s important to be aware you can fall victim to holiday heart syndrome if you overdo it. This is when overeating and overindulging in alcohol lead to an irregular heartbeat. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults of legal drinking age try to avoid drinking alcohol if possible. But if a person decides to start drinking, they should consume it within the recommended limits.

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It also notes that excessive alcohol intake could also increase the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart attack. Some indicate alcohol protects against cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. It now appears that alcohol is not the healthy elixir once thought. Growing evidence suggests that not only won’t alcohol lower your risk for cardiovascular disease, but consuming moderate amounts may even increase it. The study also revealed large differences in cardiovascular risk across the spectrum of alcohol consumption.

Looking closer, the research team found that as a group, light to moderate drinkers had healthier habits than abstainers. In general, they were more physically active, ate more vegetables and less red meat, and didn’t smoke. Drinking alcohol is a common trigger of abnormal heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation. You may find cutting down or not drinking at all can help to improve your symptoms. If you have already been diagnosed with a heart condition, speak to your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to drink alcohol.

All of the above drinks contain about the same amount of alcohol, despite their different sizes. Depending on the recipe, a mixed drink may contain one, two, or more standard drinks, as shown in a cocktail content calculator from the National Institutes of Health (see /cocktail). Intriguingly, alcohol‑free beer has shown small benefits for endothelial function, likely due to polyphenols minus ethanol. If you crave the ritual fizz, a 0.0 percent lager might scratch the itch without the cardiac toll—see the taste‑test in our piece on alcohol‑free beer. If you’re taking a medicine that directly affects your liver, such as statins, it’s particularly important not to drink more than the recommended amount, as this could cause even more damage. There are safer and healthier ways to protect and strengthen your heart, including doing more physical activity, keeping to a healthy weight and stopping smoking.

These can increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). After all, moderate alcohol intake is seen as a toast to your long-term cardiovascular health. Weekend warriors often justify heavy Friday sessions with Saturday spin classes. Sadly, the heart doesn’t use an abacus to calculate averages. Binge drinking—defined as 6+ units in a single sitting—spikes blood pressure and can provoke “holiday heart syndrome,” a fancy label for booze‑induced atrial fibrillation. Even fit athletes are not spared; ER staff report surges of otherwise healthy runners arriving with racing, erratic pulses after raucous weddings or match‑day booze‑ups.

So even if you don’t have any alcohol during the week, you shouldn’t save all of your drinking for the weekend and overdo it. It’s important to check with your doctor before you start drinking alcohol after heart surgery. If it’s not treated, over time high blood pressure can lead to fatty material (plaques) building up in the arteries, which increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. From raising blood pressure to increasing the risk of a heart attack, drinking too much alcohol can have a serious impact on your heart. For example, some people who are on cholesterol-lowering medicines may experience muscle aches when they drink alcohol.