Be prepared for a possible health cost if you enjoy a beer or glass of wine every night. An alarming correlation between regular alcohol use and a rise in systolic blood pressure was found in a study based on data from seven scientific research involving more than 19,000 participants.
The effects of alcohol on our cardiovascular health are clarified by this finding, published in Hypertension, a prestigious publication published by the American Heart Association.
Even a Single Drink Has a Sizable Impact
It may come as a surprise, but even one drink might affect your systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure is greater in alcoholics compared to individuals who don’t drink.
A key predictor of the possible dangers of alcohol use is the systolic blood pressure value, which represents arterial pressure at the peak of heartbeats.
Advice from the Experts
Professor of epidemiology and public health at Harvard University and author Dr. Marco Vinceti comments. Dr. Vinceti claims that alcohol is a major contributor to the issue of high blood pressure while conceding that it is not the only reason.
If you care about your health, he says you should cut down on alcohol use, if not abstain entirely.
The results of this research on the effects of alcohol on blood pressure are really interesting. The average daily intake of 12 grams of alcohol increased systolic blood pressure by 1.25 mmHg.
A rise of 4.9 mmHg was seen in those who consumed an average of 48 grams of alcohol per day. A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5-ounce shot of distilled spirits in the United States has about the same amount of alcohol as 14 grams.
The Gender Divide
Diastolic blood pressure is the lower number in a blood pressure measurement, and the effect on it differs across sexes. Women’s diastolic blood pressure increases somewhat when they drink alcohol, whereas men’s increases just a little. This difference highlights the nuanced nature of alcohol’s effects on the human body.
The research reveals that systolic blood pressure is more important than diastolic blood pressure for comprehending the impacts of alcohol on human health, however, diastolic blood pressure remains an essential indicator for determining heart disease risk.
Higher Blood Pressure Predicts the Future
At the outset of the trial, no one who participated had hypertension. Still, it’s noteworthy that individuals who already had high blood pressure at the start of the trial were more likely to have a slow but steady rise in blood pressure while they kept drinking.
Based on these findings, the researchers strongly suggest that those with higher baseline blood pressure levels refrain from drinking alcohol.
The Bottom Line
This report should act as a wake-up call for people to reevaluate their drinking habits. Drinking alcohol, even in moderation, may affect blood pressure significantly and, over time, might cause health problems.
It’s crucial that we put our health first and make educated judgments regarding alcohol intake as we go through life. So think about your heart health in the long run before you raise a glass.
