That makes sense medically, since women's risk for heart disease begins to climb steeply only after menopause. And for people at any age, too much alcohol can cause major health problems. Excessive imbibing actually increases the danger of heart disease, according to a report published in the Novartis Foundation Symposium in 1998. Even a single session of alcohol consumption consistent with legal blood-alcohol levels may be linked to heart disease, stroke, or cirrhosis, according to a Sept. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation . It can also elevate blood pressure and cause irregular heartbeat.
Serious alcoholism damages the liver and can lead to liver failure.
Overall, an estimated 100,000 people die every year of alcohol-related causes, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the French study found that up to five glasses of wine a day lowered heart disease risk for men, a study published last January in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that the risk of certain cancers may begin to outweigh the heart benefits after only two drinks a day. And certainly more than two drinks can get you in big trouble behind the wheel. To be safe, the new federal guidelines are expected to recommend no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. They may also make it clear that drinking alcohol has health benefits starting only in middle age.