Drinking even small amounts affects heart functionality
We all know about the dangers of drinking too much and the damage we could be doing to our bodies but new research has revealed that even consuming small levels of alcohol could be having a dramatic impact on heart function.
Previous research has reported a reduction in left ventricular performance after the consumption of moderate or high levels of alcohol, but the effects of low doses were still previously unknown.
Now though researchers have found that consuming small amounts, equivalent to 0.5 mg/kg of alcohol has dramatically different effects on the function of the two sides of the heart.
Researchers gave 64 healthy volunteers just 5ml of red wine and an equal volume of fruit juice in a separate experiment and recorded the results.
According to the study “low doses of red wine is associated acute depression in left ventricular function and acute increase in right ventricular function”.
Matteo Cameli, a Cardiologist at the Cardiologia Universitaria of Siena said:"These findings point out the importance of considering even low doses of alcohol as a socially relevant cause of acute cardiac toxicity because the truth is that light alcohol intoxication represents a very common occurrence worldwide."
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- alcohol ,
- heart function ,
- latest research
