It seems we regularly get new information on why consuming alcoholic beverages is bad for you — er, we mean good for you. No, bad. Or —
Let’s review the pros and cons we heard about in 2007, and then you can decide for yourself if you want to raise a glass (or half a glass) to toast 2008.
PROS
– Moderate alcohol consumption appears to pose little danger to men with high blood pressure, and may even reduce their risk of heart attack.
– Moderate drinking may help avoid heart disease because of its effects on both good and bad cholesterol.
– Red wines have anti-microbial properties that defend against food-borne pathogens, and these properties do not seem to harm beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract.
– People who drank some alcohol daily — fewer than 2 drinks — had a 20 percent reduction in risk of lung disease, including asthma and emphysema.
CONS
– One drink a day (100 grams a week) increases the chance of developing colon cancer by about 15 percent. Four drinks a day raise that risk by 40 percent.
– Women who have 1-2 drinks a day increase their risk of developing breast cancer by 13 percent. Four daily drinks raise that risk by 50 percent.
– Women who have more than 2 drinks a day double their risk of endometrial cancer compared with those who drink less.
– Raising a glass too often could put heavy drinkers at risk for atrial fibrillation, a dangerous heart condition that can lead to a stroke or heart failure.
Sources: Tribune staff and wire reports
