What exactly is the connection between alcohol and hypertension?  For a number of years it has been recognized that there is an increased incidence of hypertension in people with high alcohol consumption.  However it has also been noted that the French eat a diet containing as much as, if not more, fat than ours giving them similar levels of cholesterol; but four times as many Britons die of heart disease than do Frenchmen.  This difference is often referred to as the French Paradox and doctors have long suspected that it is caused by something present in red wine that protected the heart.

As long as 30 years ago, The Framingham Heart Study provided evidence suggesting that alcohol can protect the heart.  Since that time several other large studies have confirmed this.  Obviously there is a reluctance to recommend alcohol consumption because of the well-known consequences of excessive drinking.  Moderation would seem to be the answer.  Studies have shown that both men and women who drink light to moderate amounts of alcohol per day live longer than those who don’t drink at all.  However, drinking larger amounts of alcohol has more harmful effects on the body than benefits.

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