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Study: Abstaining from alcohol significantly shortens life

  

Category:  Health, Science & Technology

Via:  buzz-of-the-orient  •  5 years ago  •  37 comments

By:   HELEN JUPITER

Study: Abstaining from alcohol significantly shortens life

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



Study: Abstaining from alcohol significantly shortens life

New research shows that those who imbibe are less likely to die prematurely than those who stay dry.


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Photo:  Al404 /Flickr

A   newly released study   shows that regular drinkers are less likely to die prematurely than people who have never indulged in alcohol. You read that right:   Time reports that abstaining from alcohol altogether can lead to a shorter life than consistent, moderate drinking.

Surprised? The tightly controlled study, which looked at individuals between ages 55 and 65, spanned a 20-year period and accounted for variables ranging from socioeconomic status to level of physical activity. Led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin, it found that mortality rates were highest for those who had never had a sip, lower for heavy drinkers, and lowest for moderate drinkers who enjoyed one to three drinks per day.

Of the 1,824 study participants, only 41 percent of the moderate drinkers died prematurely compared to a whopping 69 percent of the nondrinkers. Meanwhile, the heavy drinkers fared better than those who abstained, with a 60 percent mortality rate. Despite the increased risks for cirrhosis and several types of cancer, not to mention dependency, accidents and poor judgment associated with heavy drinking, those who imbibe are less likely to die than people who stay dry.

A possible explanation for this is that alcohol can be a great social lubricant, and strong social networks are essential for maintaining mental and physical health. Nondrinkers have been shown to demonstrate greater signs of depression than their carousing counterparts, and in addition to the potential heart health and circulation benefits of moderate drinking (especially red wine), it also increases sociability.

While it’s always important to drink responsibly, this is one study that warrants raising a glass.


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Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
1  seeder  Buzz of the Orient    5 years ago

I'll bet THIS is good news for a lot of people.

 
 
 
charger 383
Professor Silent
1.1  charger 383  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @1    5 years ago

Very good news

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
1.2  TᵢG  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @1    5 years ago

I'll drink to that!   (My drink of choice is red wine so I have the additional excuse of antioxidants.)

 
 
 
Krishna
Professor Expert
1.2.1  Krishna  replied to  TᵢG @1.2    5 years ago

Well of course you should enjoy the type of Red Wine you like best. But here's an interesting bit of trivia-- the wine with the highest Resveratrol content is Pinot Noir.  (Although IIRC, there may be a few other types that come close). So when I drink wine its the one I drink...

 
 
 
TᵢG
Professor Principal
1.2.2  TᵢG  replied to  Krishna @1.2.1    5 years ago

It also has lower tannins (a good thing in my opinion).

 
 
 
Krishna
Professor Expert
1.2.3  Krishna  replied to  TᵢG @1.2.2    5 years ago
It also has lower tannins (a good thing in my opinion).

That's interesting I didn't know that.

 
 
 
cjcold
Professor Quiet
1.2.4  cjcold  replied to  TᵢG @1.2    5 years ago

You beat me to it. I will also "drink to that".

 
 
 
Just Jim NC TttH
Professor Principal
1.2.5  Just Jim NC TttH  replied to  cjcold @1.2.4    5 years ago

384

384

384

 
 
 
user image
Freshman Silent
1.2.6    replied to  TᵢG @1.2    5 years ago
My drink of choice is red wine so I have the additional excuse of antioxidants

I usually drink PBR because it's a classy drink but still says I'm here to party....

 
 
 
XXJefferson51
Senior Guide
1.3  XXJefferson51  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @1    5 years ago

Not for me. I have never had a drink with alcohol 🍷 🍺 in it. Not sure I buy into this study.  

 
 
 
igknorantzrulz
PhD Quiet
1.3.1  igknorantzrulz  replied to  XXJefferson51 @1.3    5 years ago

Not for me. I have never had a drink with alcohol 🍷 🍺 in it. Not sure I buy into this study.  

Well

that explains an awful lot 

imho

 
 
 
user image
Freshman Silent
1.3.2    replied to  XXJefferson51 @1.3    5 years ago

Even the Bible says take a little wine for yourself

https://biblehub.com/1_timothy/5-23.htm

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
1.3.3  seeder  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  igknorantzrulz @1.3.1    5 years ago

Be careful - that comment is borderline flaggable.

 
 
 
igknorantzrulz
PhD Quiet
1.3.4  igknorantzrulz  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @1.3.3    5 years ago

Be careful - that comment is borderline flaggable.

as am i,

and extremely on topic

 
 
 
igknorantzrulz
PhD Quiet
1.4  igknorantzrulz  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @1    5 years ago

I'll bet THIS is good news for a lot of people.

huh...

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
3  Kavika     5 years ago

I don't drink so I'm in danger..LOL...

Kidney stones. OMG, when they hit it dropped me to my knees and my wife called 911 and they rushed to me to the hospital. They had to give a shot of morphine and Red (my wife) told me that the nurse asked me my name I told her that I was, Alice Cooper....LOL always the smart ass.

 
 
 
Enoch
Masters Quiet
4  Enoch    5 years ago

Dear Brother Buzz: Le Chayim (Cheers).

P&AB.

Enoch.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
4.1  seeder  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  Enoch @4    5 years ago

Next time I have a glass of wine or a beer (rare these days because I'm vulnerable for gout) I'll raise the glass and say "To Life" in Hebrew to you in return.

 
 
 
Enoch
Masters Quiet
4.1.1  Enoch  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @4.1    5 years ago

TY.

Smiles.

E.

 
 
 
Krishna
Professor Expert
5  Krishna    5 years ago

Well this may be nit-picking, but technically the title is incorrect:

Study: Abstaining From Alcohol Significantly Shortens Life

A more accurate title would be:

Study: Abstaining From Alcohol is correlated with a shorter lifespan.

I could be wrong, but from the part I read there doesn't seen to be evidence that abstaining actually shortens lifespan. Rather, people who abstain have a shorter lifespan-- but abstention may not be the cause.

When two variable are correlated, the may or may not be a causal relationship between the two.

(Sometimes there is a causal realtionship between two variables that are correlated, but sometimes there isn't, Often there's a third variable-- a third factor that causes both).

Its all about the proper use of Statistics-- and everybody hates statistics! (But no one knows what causes that phenomenon...). OTOH, even Statistic is more fun than Organic Chem....)

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
5.1  seeder  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  Krishna @5    5 years ago

As a former newspaper editor I can point out two reasons why your more accurate longer headline would not be commonly used.  Firstly, the shorter the headline is and still gets the point across, the better, and secondly, headlines need to be understandable by average and even below average intelligent readers, so they would NEVER use the word "correlate".  

 
 
 
Krishna
Professor Expert
5.1.1  Krishna  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @5.1    5 years ago

I totally agree with everything you mentioned! :^)

 
 
 
Krishna
Professor Expert
5.1.2  Krishna  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @5.1    5 years ago

What type of newspaper-- general interest, or one for lawyers? College paper?

I have some experience with a newspaper-- but not as staff. I created an adI used to run, for a course. Many years ago. years ago.I used to teach.  It was a small ad-- "one column inch". (That means one column across, only 1 " high!) I ran it in a weekly paper, every week for several years. IIRC it cost me only something like $43/week. (this was > 30 years ago...)

It was just a one sentence description on top, then a small reproduction of our logo, then only my first name and phone number. 

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
5.1.3  seeder  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  Krishna @5.1.2    5 years ago

In my Junior and Senior years of study for my Bachelor of Arts degree (majoring in English Literature) I was the Editor-in-Chief of the university weekly newspaper. It published news stories of interest to students, along with columns for various interests, an editorial that I wrote, and photos.  It won the award for both years for the best university weekly newspaper in Canada. I think the most important story we published that I can recall was about the success of Sputnik.

 
 
 
igknorantzrulz
PhD Quiet
5.1.4  igknorantzrulz  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @5.1.3    5 years ago

i majored in minoring, graduated a canary

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
5.1.5  seeder  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  igknorantzrulz @5.1.4    5 years ago

Training for work in a minor coal mine?

 
 
 
Gordy327
Professor Guide
7  Gordy327    5 years ago

"To alcohol: The cause of, and solution to all of life's problems." ---Homer Simpson, The Simpsons

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
8  Paula Bartholomew    5 years ago

I don't think I can afford to live to like..........200 years.

 
 

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