Could drinking reduce your stroke risk?

Women who engage in light-to-moderate alcohol consumption could be unwittingly protecting themselves against the risk of stroke.

According to a new study, while alcohol has negative effects for many conditions, such as heart disease, it could reduce the threat of stroke in females.

Researchers monitored 83,578 women between 1980 and 2006 and observed that total stroke risk was 17-21 per cent lower in light-to-moderate drinkers of up to 15 grams of alcohol per day than those who did not drink.

There was also no difference between the effects of alcohol on ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke.

However, stroke risk did increase among those who drank levels above 38g. The effects of patterns of drinking, e.g. daily, binge, etc, where not recorded.

Further research is needed to understand the reasons behind the data and any positive effects alcohol may have.

Nonetheless, the findings support previous studies showing that moderate alcohol intake can reduce the risk of ischemic stroke.

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