Is moderate alcohol heart-healthy? | Fact vs Myth

[@notneeded7581]

This guy is providing a great service to humanity. In this day and age, every gym dude with a camera and a social media account is suddenly a nutritional expert.

[@herberthonegger]

So far, he is the most professional expert and presenter I have come across on KZbin. Another channel worth while is "Physionic"

[@1122redbird]

This guy and his channel have become the go to for me on sane, science based, clearly explained health information.

[@JimLove1]

I'm dumping the rest 😊

[@SJPYT]

Thanks! I'm a non-drinker (son of a violent alcoholic father, determined not to ruin my life like he did). I always had a feeling that the "benefits of moderate drinking" was BS. Now I know!

[@Hubcool367]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the "heart (un)healthy" effects of "moderate" alcohol has always been a red herring - it may or may not have had cardiovascular benefits, but it was long established that any alcohol intake increased /all mortality risk/. In other words, the increased risk of cancer, liver disease and other stuff always outweighed whatever heart benefits moderate alcohol intake supposedly provided, so the talk of heart benefits was always irrelevant in the bigger picture. Like I said I could be wrong though. My dumb brain only remembers for years dismissing any claim of alcohol possibly being a net benefit to health (for individuals and/or society) as Big Alcohol propaganda, but I don't remember the details of the evidence that made me dismiss these eternal "benefits" headlines in the first place. Haha

[@lachlanB323]

@@Hubcool367 Another thing is even if Red Wine has protective properties because of antioxidants it still wouldn't be better than other foods high in Antioxidants because it is 1. lower in antioxidants and 2. Has alcohol which removes most benefits if not all if not actually make a more negative than positive difference.

[@Hubcool367]

@@lachlanB323 exactly ! It's always the same pattern of putting blinders on to focus on a supposed "positive side", in order to obscure the actual big picture

[@carvedwood1953]

@@Hubcool367 I am all for blaming corporations and big-whatever propaganda and that probably played a role but the bigger role is that people always want to hear good news about their bad habits.

[@namontn]

Did your dad ever quit? Mine is 63 and is going on 50 years of slamming booze...so sad.

[@JohnsonWhat28]

I was a moderate to heavy drinker for 40 years. I quit alcohol 19 months ago and feel so much better. BP now 110/65 and heart rate resting of 55. It's great!

[@melissabrock4114]

Would you say any of your other habits changed in addition?

[@JohnsonWhat28]

@@melissabrock4114 Yes my habits have changed. I eat healthy, no sugar, very low carbs, fast from 6pm to 10am, walk miles a day, sleep like a baby, etc., etc.

[@melissabrock4114]

@@JohnsonWhat28 So the healthy heart rate and positive feelings are probably attributed to a combination of things, namely the elimination of sugar and junk food, perhaps?

[@maureengreen8240]

Sorry you experienced this. Why care about your health and nutrition and kill/damage your liver with alcohol?

[@1122redbird]

@@melissabrock4114 Exactly. He says he quit alcohol, implying thats the reason, but it could have been all the other things or any one thing. BP like that, sleeps great, and has a resting heart rate of 55 and is at a minimum of 58 years old? Yea....right, I have my doubts and call BS on it (if he drank for 40 years it's a rough estimate on age)

[@robertos4172]

This is the most credible source of health information on the internet for the laity. Many thanks for your expertise and objectivity.

[@thedoctoredchef9985]

Evidence based medicine is key. I’m using it in my new cooking show. Hope you check it out!

[@woodycosta4240]

I stopped regular drinking of beer two months ago. I didn't like the way it was making me feel after 25 years of regular weekend drinking. I noticed I was raising the amount, having about 20 beers from Friday to Sunday. Regular hangovers and difficult of thinking. Less energy overall. Belly fat. Fatty liver. In two months it all changed. Lost 25 pounds, better sleep, lots of energy, better looking, all blood tests teenager like. Now I'm decided to drink some wine a feel times a year and that's it. No more regular drinking ever agaiist

[@smkudva]

I recall seeing another video on another website citing an epidemiological study in which they asked the non drinkers a follow-up question. If they did not drink, whether they stopped because of a prior health condition, or because they never drank. When they threw out the data for the former (those who stopped because of a prior health condition), then the J curve turned into a straight line, presumably because their prior health conditions predisposed them to higher risk of cardiovascular disease. I think the Mendelian randomization studies you cite confirm this. Great review! Thanks for posting.

[@NutritionMadeSimple]

yes, that's another way to ask the question. very relevant

[@cyberfunk3793]

@@NutritionMadeSimple I'm not exactly totally convinced that the risk of co-founders with all Mendelian randomization is minimal and it's close to the typical randomized studies. I could understand that a gene that only affects a certain well known mechanism like LDL levels due to something in the liver, could be a good randomization but when the effect is something as vague as "makes them prefer less or more alcholol", I'm not so sure at all. Seems to me that gene could be correlated with bunch of other co-founders, perhaps the metabolism in these people simply is somewhat different and they prefer drinking for that reason, or they are more prone to addictions and drink for that reason. All those wider effects can have other huge health consequences so I wouldn't really trust Mendelian randomization in this kind scenario. Further, genes are obviously correlated with the ancestry of people by definition and some people coming from different parts of the planet might be more adapted to alcohol than people coming from another part of the world on average where alcohol wasn't consumed as much. For example I understand that people with asian heritage are more likely to have flushing and other symptoms from alcohol use, perhaps for them any dose of alcohol won't help at all but to a person with other background (genes) moderate alcohol consumption would lead to a reduction of risks in certain areas like plaque build up. I personally drink very rarely, like once in 3 months but am interested in the question because I have nothing against beer and would certainly drink perhaps 1 a day if I got data that would lead me to believe I could minimize heart disease risk with that kind of dosage. 1 study that would seem to imply that was for example: "Alcohol Consumption and Lower Extremity Arterial Disease among Older Adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study" where alcohol seemed to be beneficial. To me it kind of make sense on some level, I could understand how mechanistically the right dose of a solvent like alcohol in the blood occasionally could help chelate some build up that is there and help the liver to flush it out but as usual data is conflicting.

[@EbonyPope]

@@NutritionMadeSimple So alcohol still exhibited that association with cardiovascular disease after controlling for factors like smoking etc. Okay but more important to know that the association still exists would be the effect size. Wouldn't the effect size shrink? That isn't being addressed in the video. How big is the effect size after controlling for other factors?

[@CraigCastanet]

He might be the best on KZbin, for health. I can't think of anyone better. Peter Attia is also excellent, but different format and less efficient. Thanks doc.

[@matthewblumenthal804]

Pretty easy for me. I stopped drinking years ago. Just lost interest. Nice to see the choice supported.

[@doriansimon1873]

Would love to see a video about the influence of those who finance those studies - how does that impact the results?

[@NutritionMadeSimple]

we have 1 in planning :)

[@rogerbernard9572]

I love ya, but your killing me;)! I can’t imagine an evening meal without a glass of red wine. It’s relaxes me and reminds me that I can make adult decision in an insane world. I’ll change my ways IF my next blood test in 9-months indicates I need too. With utmost respect, please continue posting these informative videos….

[@wallyrbc]

I’m with you - nothing is more enjoyable than a glass of wine.

[@Ashclayton1994]

That's an addiction, just swap the word wine for any other drug and see how that sounds

[@zechschannel]

​@peterkropotkin1158 Jesus drank wine. Totally different than an addiction. It's a culture thing. In Italy we drink wine all the time not to get drunk but for taste and to enhance a meal from the flavors of it

[@RB-xv4si]

@@zechschannelwhat does Jesus have to do with any of this?

[@zechschannel]

@RB-xv4si because the other dude was claiming it's equivalent to drugs and I'm using jesus as a point saying that's not true. Jesus himself drank wine therefore it's nothing like a drug unless ur abusing it in an unhealthy way

[@RA-sd1kf]

I have cut back by only consuming alcohol when out for dinner and not drinking at home. To adjust to this, I like Starla's alcohol-removed sparkling rose and Eva's Spritz by For Bitter for Worse. Both give me that feeling of unwinding at the end of the day. Thanks for your videos. They are always informative.

[@1timbarrett]

Both of these products are excellent in that they are alcohol-free. Unfortunately they are both highly-processed factory-made products.😢

[@mingledingle1556]

@@1timbarrettto me, I think a processed food like that is worth not consuming literal poison, at least while transitioning away from the booze. It’s Like when pre-diabetic people switch to Diet Coke. Yeah it’d be better if they drank no soda, but it’s a fine emergency/temporary fix

[@theveryfirst]

What a speaker. What a presenter. What a doctor! Incredible.

[@vnys]

This is good news 🙂 I stopped drinking about five years ago, and because we have a history of heart conditions in my family I stopped eating animal products about two years ago to improve my cholesterol levels and heart health. However, the idea that moderate alcohol consumption is better than none has troubled me, since on one hand I want to do what’s best for my heart, but on the other I really don’t feel like drinking again. I still enjoy beer every now and then, and here in Norway there are so many alcohol free options now that it seems like every brewery, even micro breweries, have at least one alcohol free beer in their product line. When it comes to wine, however, the best alcohol free wine in my opinion is simply juice, which is probably why most fancy restaurants around here who have wine pairing menus normally offer juice pairing menus as the alcohol free alternative.

[@samreplete1842]

It's interesting to know that's how it is in Norway. I would love to visit Norway someday.

[@1timbarrett]

You seem like someone who truly cares about heart health. Therefore, can you find robust evidence that 1) meat CAUSES CV disease, or that 2) cholesterol levels can be used to assess risk of CV disease? 🤔

[@WilliamBTCWallace]

Animal products are good for your heart.

[@4SeasonCycling]

Great information. As a 50yr old Vegan that trains year round I monitor my HR for workouts, races and sleep. If I consume some adult drinks at dinner, my rest/sleep HR that night goes from mid 40s to mid 50s every time. Not sure how this effects your video, however for me, by consuming alcohol my HR will elevate outside of its normal levels.

[@Firebuck]

I see the same thing in my resting HR after drinking. It decreases my sleep quality some too, per the tracking software.

[@Selfrighteouscyclist]

Same, same

[@sebiwm]

Maybe the alcohol puts the body under more stress because of the need for detox. And therefore the elevated heart rate.

[@TheBiffsterLife]

The higher heart rate is due to vasodilation. Blood pressure drops after drinking, and heart rate goes up to compensate. Not saying this contradicts the video, but thee are relaxation properties of alcohol.

[@97mesut]

My heart rate is always at least 20% higher when I go to bed a little drunk.

[@caitroseco6752]

I used to drink about one drink a week. Since getting married, I drink more like 3-4 per week since my husband and I like doing it together. This hasn’t convinced me to drop it, but to cut back to 2 per week. Thanks!

[@eliayakin]

Thank you for the excelent review video. As an economist who practices causal inference analysis it is always fun to hear about additional ways to find randomization

[@sambitdash4163]

This channel is so underrated. Great work!!

[@Jan-Jan-Jan]

Well explained video. The combination of the timeline and the different methods helped a lot understanding the underlaying way of scientific progres. If your in need of a "quick" or lighter video idea: a list with healthy processed foods. (Vinegar, tofu, ...) it might show nuance again and that not everything is black or white.

[@MuhammadArrabi]

Great video as usual. To answer your last question about non alcoholic drinks: Non alcoholic beers are actually really good, tasty, and help after a big meal. They are very popular in the Middle East. We call them barley soda. I read a study in Spain (or Portugal) on positive health impact of non alcoholic beer on nuns. Non alcoholic wine on the other hand tastes bad. Friends who drink say it tastes nothing like regular wine. I enjoy drinking grape juice from wine-grade grapes (like muscat grapes); and that tastes great.

[@joelwexler]

Dr C: I don't understand why you don't have millions of subscribers. You are to health and food science as deGrasse Tyson is to astronomy though I think you're significantly better. I was a data doctor in a previous life so I love your graphics and explanations. If all the world had your unbiased un-egotistical approach it would be a better place.

[@aarushchaubey516]

love how he makes it so simple to understand, especially for beginners

[@rbphilip]

I stopped regular drinking at the end of 2017. I will occasionally have a drink when traveling, but have noticed that if I *don't* the vast majority of my friends will comfortably switch to sparkling water or something else non-alcoholic. Everyone has really known that alcohol isn't good for you for a long time, and a lot of people leap at the opportunity to be social without drinking. :)

[@beninbryant455]

This is such a great channel. It’s non-ideological and informative while also easy to understand

[@Radjehuty]

Yeah this is pretty much what I expected lol. Great video and there's a ton of detail I never knew about. I don't suspect I'll ever convince anyone to quit drinking off this but it reinforces my own decision to drink only a couple times a year or so. Thanks for this!

[@HuntBobo]

at 6:19 the stated fact that the group with aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency was at lower risk of CAD "regardless of whether they were light, heavy or moderate drinkers" is more consistent with an indirect effect on CAD via a confounder than the conclusion that reduction of alcohol consumption is beneficial. It may be true, but it doesn't follow from the previous statement.

[@brodskipod]

Excellent video, not only you bring lot of valuable information, you are stressing the importance of scientific rigor in a really understandable manner. Great stuff!

[@jayoldsmith7629]

I associate wine with relaxation at the end of the day. I still have the same effects with non -alcoholic. It was more of a life style habit. I still get to enjoy it with no harm to health.

[@ItsJordaninnit]

Great video as always! Part of the reason why those who drink zero alcohol have worse health outcomes when compared to moderate consumption is that many individuals who don't drink at all - are recovering alcoholics. This is obviously confounding and another reason why mendelian randomisation and studies that look at lifetime non-drinkers show more of a linear relationship between alcohol consumption and risk.

[@Joseph1NJ]

"many individuals who don't drink at all - are recovering alcoholics." Source? I ask because I know quite a few people in my family who don't drink. None have ever been alcoholics.

[@ItsJordaninnit]

@@Joseph1NJ it’s just a confounding factor. I don’t think it’s necessary to provide a source… it’s just common knowledge that recovering alcoholics (and individuals who abstain from drinking alcohol as a direct consequence of alcohol related liver damage) exist and potentially in significant enough numbers that it’s worth controlling for “lifetime non-drinkers” in order to eliminate this potential confounding.

[@Joseph1NJ]

@@ItsJordaninnit Could be. Still, in addition to family, l know of Muslims, and seven day Adventists who don't drink. I wonder if ex alcoholics outnumber them.

[@deanisaacs1256]

Excellent analysis and information. Love your work.

[@shekatagani]

Thanks for the video! "Everything in moderation" Seems to be the best "Takeaway" for Alcohol. Cheers!

[@desertdweller8520]

I love this channel and the way you educate people. It is very needed. Thank you.

[@victorinoxs]

how about the u-curve for coffee consumption??

[@PeterDMayr]

Excellent video! Thanks!

[@strika52]

You should talk about Portugal some more. This is the first time that i caught that you live there. Id like to learn more about the science behind the effectiveness of their drug policy or even just the difference in eating habits between the US and there. Ive always wanted to visit, it seems like a beautiful place.

[@tofu-munchingCoalition.ofChaos]

I'm not interested in the topic specifically (I don't like the taste of alcohol at all) but I love the explanations of the scientific methodology in this video.

[@JulieOParkCity]

Thanks for putting together this information! I probably just have a drink socially about once a month or less often.I’ve been concerned with the impact alcohol has on the gut microbiome. It also messes with my sleep so I feel better avoiding it the majority of the time.

[@samreplete1842]

Beautiful 🥰

[@sherifnabil9663]

The effect on microbiome summarises healthy eating pretty much.

[@flash_g81]

The best scientific nutrition comunicator on the Web !

[@alittax]

I've subscribed to your channel and can't wait for new videos! If I can make a subscriber request: a layman like myself can lose trust in scientific studies if it turns out that some studies are "proven" to be wrong later. What's to guarantee that the studies that prove other studies wrong won't ALSO be proven to be wrong, and then the studies after that, etc.? How can we trust ANY studies if ALL studies may turn out to be "wrong" at one point? I think a video on this topic would be very enlightening to a lot of people. Thank you for your work.

[@acey9982]

Your videos are a breath of fresh air! Thank you for putting out such quality, informative and well-rounded videos 🙏

[@Zack-fu8sn]

Would you please do a video on your thoughts of Dr. Gundry and his videos on "anti-lectin foods"? I switched over some meals from meats and eggs to, plant based and legumes to try and lower my cholesterol via plant-based diet

[@joelwexler]

Gundry presents interesting stuff, has impressive credentials, but seems like a huckster. I tried to buy some of his oil, but then he upsells you to a million things before you check out. Dr C, do you have any opinions on his string claims?

[@Morbuto]

Non-alcoholic beers have gone through a bit of a revolution in recent years (at least here in the U.K.). They used to taste like dishwater, but now there are a lot of really good, tasty options from interesting breweries. There are also non-alcoholic “spirits” that look interesting but I haven’t tried those yet.

[@1timbarrett]

Non-alcoholic beers in the UK are indeed a good deal more tasty than they used to be. Still, I wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole. They are highly processed, high-sugar items.😮

[@KarlSnarks]

Yeah same in the Netherlands, there's some pretty decent non-alcoholic (and low-alcoholic, under 1%) beers out there. All non-alcoholic wines I've tasted though taste like expired grape juice.

[@richardhardy4243]

Great explanatory video...no built-in bias - just, the evolution of science understanding given the limitations of analytical studies.

[@ElectronicsRobotics-pe9sp]

Great video, very informative. Our understanding of these things improves with more studies.

[@karahamil3657]

I would like a video on alcohol consumption and breast cancer … any correlation

[@spider5895]

Well researched. Enjoyed your video.

[@fidrewe99]

How is it possible that the Mendelian analysis at 10:31 is off by a factor of ~200 with respect to traditional studies??

[@AngryDrake]

Thanks for the RCT. I didn't know any of those existed!

[@henrimourant9855]

Ok thanks for this. I'll probably adjust my behavior accordingly.

[@harbingerbk1]

I had my 5 year soberversary on January 1st this year! Best decision I ever made ♡ But after 11 years of heavy drinking, I probably elevated my risk of CVD enough to be a confounding data point helping create the U-curve... I think Dr. Greger has spoken about how sober alcoholics (I.e. those who abstain from drinking after having had substance abuse issues) are part of the reason the U-curve shows up. Anyway, another great video Dr. Gil!

[@1timbarrett]

Dr Greger is full of, err, SALAD; nevertheless he makes a number of sound points.

[@vrana21xyz]

Great video. Clear actionable and touches a topic that always confused me. Thanks

[@arielmalanga9303]

I love great red wines and have a hobby of collecting and buying vintage wines at auction. I was raised with wine always at the dinner table and, for me, a meal is incomplete without wine. I don't think of its value in cardio-protectiveness, but in the social aspect of sharing a meal with family and/or friends, appreciation of food (where it comes from, the skill acquired to elevate it, sensory pleasure,) and conviviality and great conversation. So, to me it's valuable, and I will continue to enjoy wine with my meals. 🍷🍷 Cheers!

[@shetaz905]

I'm with you. I used to sell wine, so I'm biased. I've tried the alcohol free wines, and they are swill at best.

[@rosevanderreijden]

I agree with you and I also enjoy wine. I don't buy wine at auction (at least not yet, still learning) but wine is a gift because of the things you mentioned. I guess each person needs to decide what's best for his/her self.

[@olderthanyoucali8512]

So the facts don't matter as much as your need to drink? Maybe the alcohol is imparing your ability to reason?

[@rosevanderreijden]

@@olderthanyoucali8512 I don't "need" to drink. I enjoy wine with friends. People who adopt a Mediterranean-type diet, which includes wine, live the longest anyway.

[@The123fiona]

@GilCarvahlo. In the table where you compare the results of the Traditional analysis with the Mendelian, you spoke as if the "y" axis was the risk of cardiovascular disease in both. But the "y" axes are labelled differently. Please explain how this comparison is fair if the units are not the same.

[@NutritionMadeSimple]

in the last study? you mean the scale or HR vs OR? they're both measures of risk. the difference we emphasized was whether risk decreased below 1 for any level of intake above zero (determining a U curve vs ever increasing risk)

[@The123fiona]

@@NutritionMadeSimple Thanks! Yes that was the table I was talking about. I get that your focus was a qualitative one to show whether there was any dip in the risk curve. My interest is more quantitative. So if you look at around 20 or 21 drinks per week in the "Traditional" graph the CR is about 1, whereas in the "Mendelian" graph the OR is about 10. Is there any way to relate these different units of risk?

[@NutritionMadeSimple]

@@The123fiona I know it's possible to convert HR to OR. alternatively, a simpler option is to look at the Chinese study shown earlier on screen, they also did epi and MR side by side and used the same metrics and scale

[@thedebatehitman]

As a lifelong teetotaler, I’m thankful to learn that my abstinence from alcohol confers some cardiovascular benefits. To whatever extent that wine was claimed to have been healthy due to antioxidants, I can enjoy these benefits by eating grapes in their whole form. Heck, I can even get these antioxidants in my Shabbat grape juice. I don’t slam others for drinking alcohol; I just hate the way that it makes me feel. And now, I have yet another reason to avoid the stuff.

[@1timbarrett]

Ah yes, the resveratrol hypothesis!😮

[@ronson-natsarim]

Shabbat 😃❤️

[@FelipeSantosBa]

Great video as always. I would be amazing if you build up from this video talking about alcohol and cancer, also. Cheers!! :D

[@MrPintasilg]

I guess I'm just too Portuguese to drop my glass of red wine at dinner, so I'm just gonna pretend that study never existed.

[@lynnnewton5520]

I decided to participate in Sober October in 2021 and felt amazing! I have tried some NA spirits but prefer the NA beers much better. It's been more than a year and I've had a handful of drinks in that time. I plan on sticking to it for the long haul. It's not that I won't ever drink a libation again. Just that I will think long and hard if I want to drink. Meanwhile, if you're curious, try Athletic Brewing for great tasting NA beers. I have not connection to the company, I just like their beers.

[@12pseudonym]

Really nice video. I hope this channel grows exponentially like that curve!!

[@runningfree1973]

A lot of people seem to miss the point that the harmful effects of alcohol are highly dose dependent and I doubt anyone took up drinking for the health benefits.

[@myla6135]

Okay, just my experience and definitely not a study. When I drank a fair bit (errm about half a bottle of red per day) my BP was great. Then I stopped for three odd years and my BP got worse. I did make some other "healthy" changes to my diet at the same time. But after a yaer or two my BP was out of control and a bit scary. So I reversed the "healthy" changes and added a smallish glass of red wine back in. And my BP seems almost back to normal ..... not quite as good as with half a bottle but I was a lot younger then!

[@markfihurko5976]

Great work man you are great keep working

[@C4Chavasse]

I have agreed with so much of what you have said over the years, but that nobody could convince Portuguese people to give up alcohol for 6 hours is currently at the top of those things 😁

[@DrSamsHealth]

Hey, there are quite a few meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies (observational, I will admit, but not cross-sectional so they are as as good as it gets). J-curve is there, I was a co-author of quite a few of those.

[@NutritionMadeSimple]

yes, J or U curve consistently seen in epi. the MR results suggest the effect is due to either residual confounding or reverse causation (or a mix). it's not 100% sure but given the available data that's the most parsimonious interpretation

[@patrickelliott5899]

Fantastic video, Gil! My recommendation for a non-alcoholic drink: Guinness 0.0! Tastes so similar to the real deal :)

[@henryp.]

Great video as always. Love the way you present information, and always look at the overall best available balance of evidence. Keep it up Doc 👍😁

[@silverdesk72]

Awesome video. Really makes the issues easy to follow.

[@bruceparker6142]

I must not have paid attention. I always thought it was wine that had the protective effect and not general alcohol intake.

[@ratherrapid]

Google states that alcohol thins blood and prevents clotting. Would this have any relation to cardiovascular disease and events?

[@345kobi]

Would be interesting to know how moderate drinking with meals only fits into this.

[@alc6799]

Just ordered a box of non-alcoholic red wines. Of the 12 I hope I can find one I really like and can stick to. Great series of videos.

[@jamessullenriot]

I have an anecdote to add to this ... I don't anymore but I've observed what people eat when they have their "moderate" alcohol. Lets just say its typically not a bowl of fruit or a salad.

[@christianneuhaus8195]

Super interesting seeing the science building up. 👍

[@michieltummers1303]

Exactly all my questions answered and what i already thought was going on. I think books like sarafinos health psychology need another edition

[@michieltummers1303]

Ow didn't drink for more than three years!

[@cookinginpawleys]

I am typically a 14-17 beer a week drinker, but I’ve been rotating in some N/A beers thin out amounts of alcohol I’m drinking. The recent changes in NA brewing have made them as good as traditionally brewed beers, with the biggest thing being improvements in mouthfeel, balancing “foamy” vs “fizzy” and balanced malt & hop profiles. That being said, if you are someone struggling with alcohol dependence, “NA” beers are allowed to have up to .5% alcohol, while true non-alcohol brews will have a 0.0% label. Some of the 0.0% will go by “brews” or hop water/hop tea/hop seltzer to avoid unfavorable comparisons to beer, though many of those are quite good in their own rights as long as you let them stand on their own merits.

[@wackthegood8884]

I drink a glass of wine on a Saturday and one on a Sunday - that's it. I thoroughly enjoy it. So the way I see it is: if I drink 2 glasses of wine I'm going to die - if I don't drink 2 glasses of wine I'm also going to die.... so cheers, in spite of the irreproachable scientific evidence, I'm sticking with the wine!

[@andykotowski2731]

How does Mendelian Randomization change the study? The correlation is still based on the number of drinks consumed and apparently some people with the mutation were also heavy drinkers. Does the study show that the mutation is beneficial?

[@toddoakes3606]

One thing about this latest study that I'm not clear on is over what period of *total* time drinking (i.e., over how many months or years) are the results applicable to? Surely drinking 20 drinks a week for 1 year is less harmful than doing so for 20 years? (or is this answered somewhere in the study report?)

[@RawandCookedVegan]

Here you cite a study where tobacco was controlled for. Has there been a study where diet is controlled for? Isn't it likely that drinkers are eating more rich food, could this account for negative effects on the heart?

[@zakisocool]

Can you make video about resveratrol, please?

[@jayalanlife5926]

Gil Gil Gil please do not do a vlog on coffee I went cold turkey on alcohol years ago, but now turkey is off the menu. Thank you for your usual insightful expose,. Cheers Alan

[@bvrod]

The take away is that there are too many confounding factors to determine precisely if it is good for you - or not. The reality is it lies somewhere in the middle. Bottom line for me - balance diet, exercise, be mindful about how you feel and adjust accordingly. That translates to 1. knowing what food is comprised of any how the body utilizes them (or fights them), 2. get off your ass, 3. learn to listen to your body, mind, spirit - all completely doable if you truly care about you

[@emmpolitis]

Great work, keep it coming

[@laurensvaneijk9117]

Hi, first of all I’d like to state that i’m a big fan of your content. I have a topic request for a future video: artificial sweeteners (especially aspartame). personally I choose to consume some artificial sweeteners (in moderation) when I have to lose weight for sport competitions. Mostly in the form of diet coke or sugar free gum. I would like to know more about the science behind these sweeteners and the potential health risks. I used to be somewhat of an advocate for these sweeteners in case people craved something sweet and had to cut down on ‘actual sugar’, but yesterday I stumbled upon an interesting article: Aspartame and cancer-new evidence for causation Philip J Landrigan, Kurt Straif Environmental Health 20 (1), 1-5, 2021 I know that a single study (on mice) is not ‘complete evidence’ for immediately banning this substance, so I’m interested to hear your opinion. Thanks in advance, a fan from the Netherlands.

[@NutritionMadeSimple]

yup it's on the to-do list will deftly touch on it at some point :)

[@jairacastillo7895]

Hope we can see a video regarding about coffee and cacao drink too. Who's with me? Coffee is still the most consumed beverage worldwide

[@davidwelburn]

What's the definition of one drink? Is it half a pint of beer, or a small glass of wine? Thanks.

[@rashie]

Thanks

[@OlivierFontana]

Great video as always. Question: this only target heart health, what about other diseases, cancer and Alzheimer in particular?

[@NutritionMadeSimple]

yeah will cover at some point. going over the data for each topic in 1 video would be too bulky and no point just giving the bottomline and not explaining the whole process... :)

[@FNorbert]

A rly fkin important video. i just cant be grateful enough for it. GG Gil!

[@SSSyndrome214]

Thanks.

[@whatwouldhousedo5136]

I've always thought the whole idea of "healthy drinking" was wrong. The only thing about red wine that made any possible sense to me was the antioxidants in grape skins. Great video as always! Just to add that you'd asked about non-alcoholic options- they used to be pretty insipid and uninspired but that has changed greatly over the past few years. As both a former mixologist and former drinker, I always said what the world needs is a good non-alcoholic stout beer, and they now exist along with all types of non-alc craft beers (Hoegaarden is amazing), wines, and spirits.

[@themountain3461]

I remember reading long ago that there is a greater amount of polyphenols in an apple than in a glass of red wine. I also vaguely remember reading that the beneficial effects of low alcohol consumption (1 bitter or schnapps a day) was observed in older people due to its blood thinning effects. Surprised and disappointed that Gil didn't mention any of this in the video

[@1timbarrett]

Yup. If “healthy drinking” were a thing, the Michigan Moderate Drinking Program would not have been such a FLOP! Can’t count how many of my alco-pals were true believers in the wisdom of “moderate” drinking.😮

[@veehope2702]

Watch out for these non-alcoholic options, they've taken out the alcohol and replaced it with a huge dose of sugar.

[@alexandreletellier825]

The Budweiser is a good exemple

[@jamesmillers2953]

Just a clarification on your presentation. I am 58 years old most days I train 2 to 3 hours a day I have a resting heart rate of 37, a V02 max rate of 59 and eat a whole food plant diet. I also experience occasionally from atrial fibrillation. So you can be healthy and have AFib 😁 Ps The only liquid I drink is water!

You may rather mean that you can occasionally experience from atrial fibrillation and be otherwise apparently healthy.

[@timsahkelebek5901]

Training 2-3 hours a day, resting heart rate of 37, photo with a bicycle. Well you obviously are a endurance athlete and extreme endurance sports are bad for your health too. (Of course not as bad as binging or no exercise but you get what I mean) Doing those things doesn't neccesserly mean you are healthy on the contrary your body goes regular high stress daily which is bad for your health.

[@jamesmillers2953]

@@timsahkelebek5901 have you got evidence to back up your claim that the training I do is bad for my health? I usually ride to work which takes about an hour to each way where my heart rate doesn’t go over 100 ( which is a lot of people resting heart rate). Also my cardiologist doesn’t seem to have a problem with it😁

[@fitfrog65]

I was a century biker and runner. I did a lot of intense exercise, resulting in a skipped heart beat. I was even told that I was having a heart attack after an ekg. Intense exercise can cause skipped beats. At 78, most of program is moderate and I'm happier for it. I had problems with intense exercise, you may want to back off until your rhythm is normal..

[@fitfrog65]

@@timsahkelebek5901 Speed kills. See my post below.

[@Kumpelkefer]

I really wonder what causes the U-curve :o Also can't wait for the salt video.

[@DM-ql6ps]

Likely income. Moderate drinkers are more likely to be wealthy (eating out, fancy wine) while abstainers are more likely to be poor (alcohol costs money). www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3185179/ and pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8858551/ Turns out being wealthy is related to better health.

[@CoachBreid]

The technology from brewing AF beers is improving, focused on better ways to removing the alcohol. Athletic Brewing’s Free Wave is a solid hazy IPA (< .5% ABV). Brew Dog and Sam Adams makes some good AF beers too. A side benefit is these beers are low calorie as well.

[@sweetbon76]

How about red wine specifically?

[@harbingerbk1]

oh and here in Canada there are so many good near beers now! Sober Carpenter is my favourite 😊

[@cycleoflife7331]

Dont tell those elderly centenarians of Sardinia. They all still drink a glass of wine with dinner.

[@HidingFromFate]

OK, maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention here, but seems like those who might consume approx. 5 to 7 drinks per week will have a pretty negligible (i.e., non-concerning) increase in cardiovascular risk.

[@NutritionMadeSimple]

significant but much milder than the next 5-7 (per that last study)

[@federicoberghmans991]

Very nice video. I had no clue about mendelian randomization. Now I'm smearing this video on the noses of all the drunkards I know (pretty much everyone). Loved that little bit of Bossa Nova at the end too.

[@mondarinvino107]

This is a depressing video for me because I am a health enthusiast but also an enthusiastic wine lover.

[@TheBrucepix]

It’s not true. Drink! It’s fine and healthy if you enjoy it. These materialist analyses are so limited.