Alcohol has no health benefits

Question

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Are there zero health benefits to drinking alcohol in any amount?

Comments

I think this can be true and false. Multiple studies have shown that beer has many more calories than other types of liquor. If you want to drink without gaining the beer belly, stick to the clear liquors.

Answer 1

This can be true of false based on your perspective. On the one hand, drinking a decent amount of alcohol can help people relax and thus relieve stress and pressure and have a better mood which is healthy because negative emotions in long term can cause mental and physical issues. And sometimes people need a way to escape from heavy work life. However, if you ignore this, then there is source suggesting that alcohol is no benefit for health. 

"To identify a “safe” level of alcohol consumption, valid scientific evidence would need to demonstrate that at and below a certain level, there is no risk of illness or injury associated with alcohol consumption. The new WHO statement clarifies: currently available evidence cannot indicate the existence of a threshold at which the carcinogenic effects of alcohol “switch on” and start to manifest in the human body."

This suggests there is no safety level for alcohol. And the more you drink it, the more risky it gets.

"The risk of developing cancer increases substantially the more alcohol is consumed. However, latest available data indicate that half of all alcohol-attributable cancers in the WHO European Region are caused by “light” and “moderate” alcohol consumption – less than 1.5 litres of wine or less than 3.5 litres of beer or less than 450 millilitres of spirits per week. This drinking pattern is responsible for the majority of alcohol-attributable breast cancers in women, with the highest burden observed in countries of the European Union (EU). In the EU, cancer is the leading cause of death – with a steadily increasing incidence rate – and the majority of all alcohol-attributable deaths are due to different types of cancers."

https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

Answer 2

Although any potnetial benefits to alcohal consumption are pretty small, according to Mayo Clinic there are still some possible benefits. Comsuming moderate alcohal can slightly reduce your risk for a heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes. There are also many risks with consuming heavy amounts of alcohal that have no benefits at all. It is important to reduce alcohal consumption in order to have any benefits at all.

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551

Answer 3

When drinking alcohol in moderation, there can be some health benefits. However, even though there can be some benefits there still are some risks that come along with drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol in moderation could help with reducing the risk of heart disease, possible reducing the risk of experiencing a stroke, and could reduce the risk of developing diabetes. However, exercising regularly and having a healthy diet are the two main factors that come along with living a healthy lifestyle and staying fit. However, for a healthy person who drinks in moderation these are some of the health benefits that could possible occur. 

URL:https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551

Answer 4

According to Mayo Clinic, "Moderate alcohol consumption may provide some health benefits, such as: Reducing your risk of developing and dying of heart disease. Possibly reducing your risk of ischemic stroke (when the arteries to your brain become narrowed or blocked, causing severely reduced blood flow) Possibly reducing your risk of diabetes."

Answer 5

This question has had people stumped for a little while. There have been many studies to test if there were benefits to alcohol consumption. Mayo Clinic, has come with an article saying moderate amounts of alcohol can give possible benefits. The word possible is key. Mayo Clinic also said, the study was done with people who also had a good lifestyle, and may have given false results based on the other factors. So there is no true evidence to support the consumption of alcohol has health benefits.

Alcohol use: Weighing risks and benefits - Mayo Clinic

Comments

How would you rate the claim? Don't forget to select a rating for each fact-check going forward.

Answer 6

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. Even low levels of alcohol consumption have been linked to a range of health problems, including cancer, liver disease, and cardiovascular disease.

In a report by the Global Burden of Disease Alcohol Collaborators, published in The Lancet in 2018, it was found that alcohol consumption was a leading risk factor for premature death and disability globally. The report concluded that "the safest level of drinking is none."

Therefore, based on current scientific evidence, there are no health benefits to drinking alcohol in any amount.

Reference:

World Health Organization. (2018). Global status report on alcohol and health 2018. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565639

GBD 2016 Alcohol Collaborators. (2018). Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet, 392(10152), 1015-1035. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31310-2

Answer 7

I believe that there is no health benefits a person can gain after consuming alcohol. Within an article's the World Health Organization states that "there is no safe amount that does not affect health". Additionally, they state that "no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health" to reinstate that nothing is healthy when consuming alcohol.

https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

Answer 8

Alcohol can have health benefits when consumed responsibly. Drinking a glass of wine or a can of beer a day can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, strokes, and diabetes. However, drinking excessively can lead to certain cancers, pancreatitis, stroke, and more.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551#:~:text=Moderate%20alcohol%20consumption%20may%20provide,reducing%20your%20risk%20of%20diabetes

Answer 9

According to Mayo Clinic, there may be some benefits linked to alcohol consumption, but what they label as "moderate" alcohol consumption. This means roughly 1-2 drinks per day which is not what the average American would have if they were deciding to drink. They say that it, "may provide some health benefits such as: reducing your risk of developing and dying of heart disease. Possibly reducing your risk of ischemic stroke, possibly reducing your risk of diabetes. 

In my personal opinion, while there are some studies that link to the positive effects of moderate drinking, there are far more studies showing the negative effects. Personally, I would lean more towards no health benefits if I were to make this claim true/false. 

The center for disease control and prevention says alcohol can lead to, "High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum. Weakening of the immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick. Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance". Personally, it seems to contradict with information that drinking could have positive effects. 

https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm#:~:text=High%20blood%20pressure%2C%20heart%20disease,liver%20disease%2C%20and%20digestive%20problems.&text=Cancer%20of%20the%20breast%2C%20mouth,liver%2C%20colon%2C%20and%20rectum.&text=Weakening%20of%20the%20immune%20system%2C%20increasing%20the%20chances%20of%20getting%20sick.&text=Learning%20and%20memory%20problems%2C%20including%20dementia%20and%20poor%20school%20performance.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551#:~:text=Moderate%20alcohol%20consumption%20may%20provide,reducing%20your%20risk%20of%20diabetes 

Answer 10

By the contrapositive stance, the claim that there are zero benefits that come from alcohol consumption is false. According to the Mayo Clinic, Red wine has been linked to contributing to heart maintainence. Red wine contains anti-oxidants that increase the levels of HDL cholesterol to protect against cholesterol build up. Moreover, polyphenols are anti-oxidants in red wine that protect the lining of blood vessels within the heart. A certain polyphenol, resveratrol, is linked to reduce LDL cholesterol and prevent blood clots and lower chances of inflammations, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. However, these anti-oxidants can be found in more naturally occurring sources, such as grapes.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281