A good deal of research has confirmed that moderate drinking is beneficial for the heart and blood vessels. However, there is still not sufficient explanation of the phenomenon: known mechanisms such as changes in the level of lipoprotein or blood coagulation factors can only partially explain the observed effect. An American team has now published data that suggests yet another mechanism.

They focused their research on proteins known to be markers for inflammations and cancers. It was already suspected that these markers were implicated in the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The researchers were able, in a study spread over eight years, to find the relation between alcohol consumption and inflammation markers in 959 healthy men and 473 healthy women. In the men who drank a daily average of one to two glasses, the level of a marker was found to be 36% lower than that in total abstainers and 26% for another marker. In women with half that average daily consumption were similar and even greater reductions were noted.

These results suggest moderate drinking is associated with reduced values of inflammation markers. The researchers also advise caution since, besides the positive effects of alcohol for cardiovascular diseases, account has also to be taken of the whole population and the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption.

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