USA: Limited Alcohol Intake is Protective, Thins the Blood, Study shows

. WESTWOOD, California / UCLA / January 18, 2009 A new study released by UCLA shows light to moderate consumption of alcohol prevents senior citizens from developing age-related infirmities that can cause elders to be unable to walk or dress and groom themselves. However, researchers say alcohol's beneficial use is only apparent if the senior citizen was in good health to begin with. Seniors who weren't healthy to begin with did not see a benefit from the alcohol. Among those study participants who were in good health for the entire period, each additional drink per week translated into a 3-to-8 percent decrease in the likelihood of developing a debilitating handicap as age progressed. Scientists used data from a national survey that has tracked 4,276 people since 1982. The survey watched their lifestyles and medical conditions closely over the 26 years since then. The UCLA study was published this week in the American Journal of Epidemiology, and confirms other medical studies that show alcohol, which can thin blood, is beneficial in moderate amounts. The study defined light-to-moderate drinking as fewer than 15 drinks a week for men, and no more than five of those on any given day. A drink was defined as 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or one ounce of distilled spirits. The study found that moderate drinkers had a risk of 12.5 percent of suffering a debilitating medical condition. The rate for heavy drinkers was a bit higher at 15.6 percent. However, the chances of debilitating conditions for abstainers was much higher: 20 percent. Courtesy: GRG, Los Angeles