When an enemy becomes a friend. On the benefits of alcohol consumption

Abstract

While use of high doses of alcohol is a proven risk factor for various organs and systems, use of small and moderate doses bears evidence of the opposite data. Thus, regularly drinking a small amount of alcoholic drinks could reduce a person’s chances of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoporosis and some other diseases, and also reduce overall mortality. Small doses of alcohol suppress the inflammation and peroxidation, normalize hemocoagulation, improve the lipid profile, favourably affect blood vessel tone and the insulin-signaling pathways. Positive effects of wine are the most studied, which is usually explained by the fact that it contains polyphenols, while positive effects of beer are studied to a lesser extent; however, it should be borne in mind that the studies were aimed at different types of alcoholic beverages. Thus, it can be considered inappropriate to completely prohibit the use of alcohol to persons without dependence and specific organ damage.