The European Society of Cardiology just completed a new study about the effects of drinking alcohol.

Researcher, Dr. Bethany Wong says, “This study adds to the body of evidence that a more cautious approach to alcohol consumption is needed,” “To minimize the risk of alcohol causing harm to the heart, if you don’t drink, don’t start. If you do drink, limit your weekly consumption to less than one bottle of wine or less than three-and-a-half 500 ml cans of 4.5% beer.”

Data was studied from 800 40 years plus adults. The study was called STOP-HF study. People who participated in the study has pre- heart failure or were high risk individuals for developing heart failure. Participants were divided into groups depending on the amount of alcohol they drank. Moderate drinkers consumed between 70 and 140 grams of alcohol  per week (about two bottles of wine per week), and those that drink a lower amount such as under 10 grams or a bottle of wine per week.

A new study from the European Society of Cardiology suggests that drinking alcohol at levels that many countries deem to be “safe” could actually still increase consumers’ risk of heart failure.

Not surprisingly- those that were drinking more alcohol were found to be at higher risk. Participants who had pre- heart failure were at high risk of heart failure.

Dr Wong stated, “Our study suggests that drinking more than 70 g of alcohol per week is associated with worsening pre-heart failure or progression to symptomatic heart failure in Europeans,” “We did not observe any benefits of low alcohol usage. More research is needed in Caucasian populations to align results and reduce the mixed messages that clinicians, patients, and the public are currently getting.”

The Jama Network reports, Findings   In this cohort study of 371 463 individuals, genetic evidence supported a nonlinear, consistently risk-increasing association between all amounts of alcohol consumption and both hypertension and coronary artery disease, with modest increases in risk with light alcohol intake and exponentially greater risk increases at higher levels of consumption.  Source JAMA

The Washington Post  reports, It also suggested that the previously held theory that modest drinking, namely of red wine, may help decrease the risk of heart disease is probably not the case.”