Red Wine

Women have just received a green flag to continue with their drinking habits if this report is anything to go by. According to professionals from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, moderate drinking may reduce the risk of stroke in women.

Though initial studies have talked about alcohol consumption and heart diseases, there has been no precise information on the amount of wine consumption or stroke risk. In this trial, about 83 female subjects who were part of the Nurses’ Health Study participated. Their self-reported alcohol consumption data as well as their experiences with strokes were taken note of.

As per the observations of the study, the risk of stroke did not seem to be elevated in case of moderate alcohol consumption. Notably, moderate drinking appeared to be associated with lower risk of stroke. This result was seemingly applicable for ischemic as well as hemorrhagic stroke.

However, the point to note in this study is the amount of alcohol consumed. Heavy drinking is considered to be a kind of addiction, which could have its own set of downfalls. Though the reason behind this protective link between mild alcohol intake and stroke risk has not been unraveled, this report underscores the benefits of drinking within safe limits.

This study is published in the March 8 issue of the journal, Stroke.