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Drinking too much may age arteries over time.
Excessive boozing over the years might age arteries prematurely, especially in men, putting them at an increased risk for heart disease. |
According to new research in Journal , drinking too much, can affect the elasticity of the arterial walls (arterial stiffness) and prematurely age the arteries, interfering with blood flow. |
Moreover, researchers found that male former drinkers were at risk for accelerated rates of arterial stiffness compared with moderate drinkers who were in early old age. This observation was not found in females, although the study of 3,869 participants was 73 percent male. |
The findings, which looked at alcohol drinking habits over a 25-year period, support previous research on moderate alcohol consumption and its association with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. |
The question is how much alcohol is too much and at what point does alcohol start to cause damage to the arteries? Participants ranged in age at the initial alcohol assessment from their 30s to their 50s, with statistical adjustment made for age (amongst other characteristics) in the study's analyses, and anyone with a history of heart disease were excluded from the study. |
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, contributing to nearly one-third of deaths, researchers said. |