New York – One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don’t drink actually tend to die sooner than those who do. The standard Alcoholics Anonymous explanation for this finding is that many of those who show up as abstainers in such research are actually former hard-core drunks who had already incurred health problems associated with drinking.
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But a new paper in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggests that — for reasons that aren’t entirely clear — abstaining from alcohol does actually tend to increase one’s risk of dying even when you exclude former drinkers. The most shocking part? Abstainers’ mortality rates are higher than those of heavy drinkers.
As usual, research findings lend themselves to interpretation, and this will produce some “explanations” that will extend from the illogical to the absurd. Allowing others to do that, I will list some possible explanations that make sense.
* Living longer but in sickness (damage to liver, pancreas, brain, etc.) might not be considered life.
* Even laboratories know that the preservation of organs (in jars) is best in the medium of alcohol.
* Heavy drinkers tend to become consumers of medical care and services, and their other ailments are diagnosed and treated.
* Heavy drinkers eventually become unable to work and are generally less mobile. This reduces the exposure to work related illnesses and accidents as well as those related to being away from home or traveling.
* Stress related illnesses tend to be reduced among those with less stress. Frequent or constant intoxication leaves one in a state of anesthesia, during which the effects of stress are minimized (which is why drinkers drink).
Research on mortality or longevity is correlational, and no causes are proven. Enjoy some creative thinking in guessing for an explanation.
Llchaim Yiden!!!!!
Idiots what about all the alcoholics that died before 60 65
well, I have news for you. when the anti smoking heat wears out, reports will sugest that smokers live longer too.
and that the world atmosphere is actually heading to colder, Global Colding.
It all depends what Ruach researchers on the campus set out for. and everybody else falls into place.
The study is flawed; heavy drinker suffer form cirrhosis of the liver, and damage to other organs. Next, there will be a study which states that heavy smokers outlive non-smokers.
Poster # 1 (says); Some of the “conclusions” you enumerate suffer precisely the shortcomings that you state you are trying to avoid. (Being illogical and absurd.) But the last one (#5) makes sense. Especially for moderate drinkers. But on a different track. In a more physiological way. Due to the fact that moderate drinking of alcohol improves blood circulation. That last statement is borne out by medical research.
NOT when you drive after drinking!
These studies always refer to *moderate* drinkers – not heavy, out of control drinkers. Moderate drinkers do well; heavy drinkers typically dont.
Mark Twain is quoted as saying something to the tune of “there are white lies, big lies, and then there are statistics!” But all joking aside it’s quite interesting that Jews that are told to drink are many an occasion actually have a study saying it’s good for them!
If you read the article carefully you will see that the order of longevity is as follows:
Moderate Drinkers
Heavy Drinkers
Non-drinkers
So moderate drinkers live longest. The reason is because alcohol has a blood thining effect. Heavy drinkers just run into other health issues which reduces the effect..Also red wine has additional anti oxident benefits.
This is not really new; it conforms what has been known since the 1920s.
However, some people can not drink at all and we must not encourage them to drink. Alcoholism is a tremendous social problem and it affects the frum community like all others.