A new study has revealed that although alcohol has many ill-effects, it might be good for your cholesterol levels. The study conducted by the researchers of Harvard University analysed nearly 58,000 adults in Japan who were followed for up to a year using a database of medical records from routine checkups.
The findings of the study were published in the JAMA Network Open journal today.
It is noteworthy that alcohol has many ill-effects and it increase your risks of various health problems, such as accidental injuries, liver diseases, high blood pressure, and several types of cancers.
According to the researchers, when people switched from being nondrinkers to drinkers during the study, they saw a drop in their “bad” cholesterol and the level of “good” cholesterol increased.
On the other hand, drinkers who stopped drinking during the study saw the opposite effect: their bad cholesterol went up and their good cholesterol went down. Another recent review and meta-analysis by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that moderate drinkers had lower relative risks of heart attacks and strokes.
Another recent review found increased risk of colorectal, female breast, liver, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus cancers.
The researchers also cautioned the findings doesn’t mean that you should start drinking or consume more alcohol as there are various other risks that needs to considered.
“Public health recommendations should continue to emphasize moderation in alcohol consumption, but cholesterol levels should be carefully monitored after alcohol cessation to mitigate potential [cardiovascular disease] risks,” the researchers conclude.