It is well known that alcohol is bad for you. Alcohol can damage your liver and increase your risk of developing certain cancers. However, there is more debate about its effects on heart health. According to the American Heart Association, some experts have long claimed that a glass of red wine is good for your heart, but this isn’t necessarily true. Additionally, excessive drinking can cause high blood pressure and arrhythmia.

Now, there’s another heart-healthy reason to be careful with alcohol, especially for women.

In a new study of 432,265 people aged 18 to 65 (approximately 243,000 men and 189,000 women), experts found that on average people drink at least one alcoholic drink every day. They found that women have a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. The study was conducted by Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is when “the main blood vessels that supply blood to the heart (coronary arteries) struggle to send enough blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart muscle,” according to the Mayo Clinic. condition. .

Symptoms include shortness of breath and chest pain. However, for many people, a heart attack is the first noticeable sign of coronary heart disease.

Women who drink eight or more alcoholic drinks each week have a higher risk of heart disease.

In the Kaiser Permanente study, participants reported their alcohol consumption from 2014 to 2015. Over the next four years, researchers analyzed the incidence of coronary heart disease and found that 3,108 participants were diagnosed with coronary heart disease.

People who drank one to two drinks each week were classified as having low alcohol intake. For women, 3 to 7 drinks were classified as moderate intake, and for men, 3 to 14 drinks were classified as moderate intake. 15 or more drinks for men and 8 or more drinks for women were classified as heavy consumption.

Definitions of binge drinking vary, but in this study it was defined as drinking three or more drinks per day for women and four or more drinks per day for men. Researchers looked at whether participants had participated in binge drinking within the past three months. Non-drinkers were not included in the study.

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According to Kaiser Permanente Research, researchers found that drinking eight or more alcoholic beverages per week made young to middle-aged women more likely to develop coronary heart disease than women who drank less. They found that 33% to 51% higher. . But those most at risk were women who participated in binge drinking, which was associated with a 68% higher chance of developing coronary heart disease.

Several factors contribute to alcohol’s negative effects on heart health. “Alcohol has been shown to increase blood pressure and cause metabolic changes associated with inflammation and obesity, both of which increase the risk of heart disease,” said study lead author Stacey Starling, Kaiser Permanente Research Division. told.

The worst effects were seen in women, but men who drank heavily had a 33% higher risk of developing coronary heart disease compared to men who drank moderately.

“Due to biological and physiological differences, women process alcohol differently than men, and this may contribute to the increased heart disease risk we found,” Stirling said. Stated. “It is concerning because rates of alcohol use are increasing among young and middle-aged women, including the number of women who binge drink.”

The study is scheduled to be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s annual scientific session in early April, but has not yet been peer-reviewed.

If you want to cut down on your drinking, here are some expert-backed tips.

With new research like this coming out, it’s no wonder concepts like “mindful drinking” and the “wet lifestyle” (both of which are considered decent drinking) are popular.

If you want to keep your drinking habits in check, it’s worth knowing some of the U.S. government’s guidelines for moderate alcohol consumption. When it comes to drinking alcohol, guidelines recommend no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. Once you understand the guidelines, you can track your consumption habits and decide how much to drink. (The amount people actually drink is often underestimated.)

If you want another drink after work or at the end of the week, you can make mocktails or buy non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits. “The quality of non-alcoholic drinks and beer is much better than it used to be,” Vanessa Kennedy, director of psychology at Driftwood Recovery in Texas, previously told HuffPost. Keeping these drinks on hand can help you reduce your alcohol intake.

Experts say it’s also helpful to track why you are drinking Are you doing it because you’re stressed or are you doing it because you’re bored? Once you’ve identified why you’re turning to alcohol, you can think of different things to fill the void.

“If you’re saying, ‘I just need this drink because I want to relax,’ alcohol itself doesn’t actually help you relax,” Sumner Brooks, R.D., previously told HuffPost. told the edition. A bubble bath or a workout class may be more relaxing than drinking a glass of wine.

Most importantly, if you’re concerned about your drinking habits or think you have a problem with your drinking habits, it’s important to seek professional help. You can find a therapist trained in substance abuse to help you move forward.

Need help with a substance use disorder or mental health issue? In the US, call 800-662-HELP (4357). SAMHSA National Helpline.

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