Drinking with friends may be good for you!

April 8, 10:25 AMColumbia Health Care ExaminerJan Louthain

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For some time now, we've known that moderate amounts of alcohol, one to two drinks per day, can actually protect us from heart disease.  The primary reason is that the consumption of alcohol increases the high density lipoprotein cholesterol in our system, otherwise known as the "good" cholesterol which carries plaque away from our arteries.

Now researchers in Japan have found that moderate alcohol consumption with your family or friends in a supportive social setting can not only reduce your chance of heart attack but can decrease your risk of strokes as well.  The Japanese study which looked at the drinking patterns, social support and cardiovascular health of 19,356 men in their 40s, 50s and 60s found that those men who drank up to 300 grams (10.5 ounces) of alcohol per week had a reduced risk of stroke and heart disease which was more pronounced in those men with high levels of social support.  By contrast, it was speculated that low levels of social support could  cause mental stress, which is hard on the heart.

According to study team leader, Dr. Hiroyasu Iso from Osaka University, moderate drinking with a support group is "probably due to avoidance of unhealthy behaviors and enhancement of stress buffering."  But Iso also noted,  "this beneficial effect of social support is confined to light-to-moderate drinking. Heavy drinking is risky irrespective of social support level."