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Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

span.health

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Re: Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

#31

Post by aksss »

herdcall wrote: post #18
blakesterz wrote: post #3

They close with this: However, a more critical review[0] of the epidemiological data that took into account genetic variants which impact the effect of alcohol intake on longevity shows that the described J-shaped relationship is not as robust as once thought. In conclusion the review simply states: The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero [0] https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/49/3/3…

That seems like a non sequitur ("The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero"). All I see in the article you referred (or the original article above) are several (valid) questions about the J shaped association, like confounding factors and survival bias. But these aren't evidence that the optimal level is zero. Merely challenging/speculating about the opposite view is not evidence. Also, as…

For any benefit alcohol gives (heart health, stress level, etc), there are healthier alternatives to accomplish the same or better results.

Re: Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

#32

Post by jimmar »

nabla9 wrote: post #16
blakesterz wrote: post #3

They close with this: However, a more critical review[0] of the epidemiological data that took into account genetic variants which impact the effect of alcohol intake on longevity shows that the described J-shaped relationship is not as robust as once thought. In conclusion the review simply states: The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero [0] https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/49/3/3…

> The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero The whole "little alcohol can actually be healthy" meme is a good example of corporate sponsored research combined with publication bias. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publication_bias It went on 15-20 years before better and larger studies debunked it. Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for…

For making global policy, the Lancet study is great. It's not the perfect study for determining an individual's risk factors. I looked at that Lancet study in detail trying to determine how much risk alcohol consumption poses to me personally, but it was challenging. For example, the #1 risk they associated with alcohol was tuberculosis--something I'm not concerned about at all.

Re: Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

#33

Post by Eddy_Viscosity2 »

herdcall wrote: post #18
blakesterz wrote: post #3

They close with this: However, a more critical review[0] of the epidemiological data that took into account genetic variants which impact the effect of alcohol intake on longevity shows that the described J-shaped relationship is not as robust as once thought. In conclusion the review simply states: The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero [0] https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/49/3/3…

That seems like a non sequitur ("The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero"). All I see in the article you referred (or the original article above) are several (valid) questions about the J shaped association, like confounding factors and survival bias. But these aren't evidence that the optimal level is zero. Merely challenging/speculating about the opposite view is not evidence. Also, as…

That 'alcohol reduces stress' is true short term, its not so much true long term. Think of those nasal sprays that reduce congestion. They absolutely do that, breathe that stuff in and it opens your airway real good, but at the same time it irritates those tissues so when the effect wears off, the airway becomes even more blocked than before because of the inflammation from the irritation. Alcohol does a similar thing for brain chemistry. It artificially slows things down (making you feel calmer), but the body's response is counter that effect so when the alcohol wears off, the stress levels can be higher than they were before - leading people to need another drink to relax.

Re: Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

#34

Post by aksss »

peter_retief wrote: post #20

I have stopped drinking alcohol completely for a few years and the benefits are noticeable. Good sleep patterns, higher energy levels, better concentration and emotional stability among the more obvious benefits.

My alcohol intake is down to about once a month, and that driven by social/networking type events. But similar results - it feels better to not drink than to drink.

Re: Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

#35

Post by intergalplan »

mathattack wrote: post #23
cutthegrass2 wrote: post #2

The article briefly mentions RHR (resting heart rate) also. Anecdotally of course, but I notice my RHR being ~5 - 8 bpm lower when I abstain from alcohol for a few days.

I’ve been largely alcohol free since the new year. Prior to that I thought alcohol helped me rest. Now even one or two glasses of beer or wine messes up my sleep. The contrast helps me understand it better. Of course this anecdote shouldn’t be construed as robust data....

I've been working on switching most drinking for weed—for health reasons. Seriously. It's the best and lowest-side-effect sleep aid I've used. Hopefully it's not secretly doing horrible things to me, but my sleep quality's been amazing since I started to take a little a couple nights a week. Most consistently-decent sleep of my life.

Re: Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

#36

Post by antonvs »

nabla9 wrote: post #16
blakesterz wrote: post #3

They close with this: However, a more critical review[0] of the epidemiological data that took into account genetic variants which impact the effect of alcohol intake on longevity shows that the described J-shaped relationship is not as robust as once thought. In conclusion the review simply states: The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero [0] https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/49/3/3…

> The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero The whole "little alcohol can actually be healthy" meme is a good example of corporate sponsored research combined with publication bias. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publication_bias It went on 15-20 years before better and larger studies debunked it. Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for…

> These results suggest that alcohol control policies might need to be revised worldwide, refocusing on efforts to lower overall population-level consumption.

It ought to astonish me that people unironically think this way, but then I remember one of the most dangerous and life-shortening human tendencies of them all - the desire to control others.

Re: Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

#38

Post by AlwaysRock »

aksss wrote: post #34
peter_retief wrote: post #20

I have stopped drinking alcohol completely for a few years and the benefits are noticeable. Good sleep patterns, higher energy levels, better concentration and emotional stability among the more obvious benefits.

My alcohol intake is down to about once a month, and that driven by social/networking type events. But similar results - it feels better to not drink than to drink.

At the end of the day alcohol is not good for your body. Even if the impact in minimal its always noticeable. Stopping made my life a lot better.

Re: Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

#39

Post by spekcular »

herdcall wrote: post #18
blakesterz wrote: post #3

They close with this: However, a more critical review[0] of the epidemiological data that took into account genetic variants which impact the effect of alcohol intake on longevity shows that the described J-shaped relationship is not as robust as once thought. In conclusion the review simply states: The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero [0] https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/49/3/3…

That seems like a non sequitur ("The optimal level of alcohol intake for health and longevity is zero"). All I see in the article you referred (or the original article above) are several (valid) questions about the J shaped association, like confounding factors and survival bias. But these aren't evidence that the optimal level is zero. Merely challenging/speculating about the opposite view is not evidence. Also, as…

Did you read the studies (cited in that review) that do Mendelian randomization? They seem fairly conclusive in favor of the view that the optimal alcohol intake is zero.

Re: Surprisingly little alcohol can affect heart rate variability

#40

Post by gnu8 »

zabzonk wrote: post #5

> A healthy HRV reflects a healthy balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation. How do you know this?

I’m not a cardiologist but this detail seems believable on its face and it is supported by the surrounding statements. Do you disagree with it?
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