(Olivia Rosane/ EcoWatch) — A major genetic study has concluded that there is no healthy level of alcohol consumption, at least when it comes to stroke risk.
The study, published in The Lancet Thursday, contradicts some previous research suggesting that drinking one to two glasses a day might protect against stroke, though other studies have said there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, BBC news reported. In the study, a research team from the University of Oxford, Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences found that even drinking one to two glasses a day increased stroke risk by 10 to 15 percent.
“The key message here is that, at least for stroke, there is no protective effect of moderate drinking,” study co-author and Oxford Nuffield Department of Population Health professor Zhengming Chen told Reuters. “The genetic evidence shows the protective effect is not real.”
For heavy drinking, the effect was even more pronounced. Drinking four or more glasses a day increased stroke risk by 35 percent and raised blood pressure. (…)