A study found among 500,000 men and women, that those who drank alcohol at moderate levels were more likely to have high blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke.
For the study, each participant reported their drinking habits and about a third had their DNA tested to see if they had genes for processing alcohol, which made them more prone to drinking. The gene tests also allowed researchers to rule out other reasons as the cause of the high blood pressure and increased risk of stroke.
These methods allowed the team to identify causal effects from the alcohol, Dr. Ionis Millwood, senior epidemiologist at the University of Oxford and co-author of the study, told ABC News. That said, there were some limitations with the study. For example, the majority of the people included in the study drank mostly hard liquor rather than beer or wine — the two kinds of alcohol that have studies have linked to health benefits, with wine having the strongest evidence.
While the USDA recommends those who drink alcohol to limit their intake to moderate levels, the study shows that alcohol consumers should be cautious, as the evidence continues to remain uncertain. Charlyn Laserna is a pediatric resident physician at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit.
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