The widely-enjoyed drink that can raise your blood pressure – even if you’re in good health and don’t suffer from hypertension.
The results of a comprehensive analysis of seven international studies, released today in the American Heart Association journal, Hypertension, suggest that daily alcohol consumption may trigger a significant rise in blood pressure readings over time, even among adults without prior hypertension.
The analysis, backed by the data from these seven global studies, reveals a steady uptick in blood pressure readings in participants with both low and high alcohol consumption. Even minimal alcohol consumption has been linked with noticeable blood pressure increases, potentially elevating the risk of cardiovascular issues.
Senior study author Marco Vinceti, M.D., Ph.D., expressed surprise at the discovery that even a modest level of alcohol consumption could be connected with an elevated rate of blood pressure changes compared to abstainers. The increase, however, was significantly lower than that seen in heavy drinkers.
Senior study author Marco Vinceti, M.D., Ph.D., remarks, “We found no beneficial effects in adults who drank a low level of alcohol compared to those who did not drink alcohol.
“We were somewhat surprised to see that consuming an already-low level of alcohol was also linked to higher blood pressure changes over time compared to no consumption – although far less than the blood pressure increase seen in heavy drinkers.”
The study’s data analysis was carefully conducted based on the grams of alcohol consumed, as opposed to the number of drinks, thereby reducing the potential for bias stemming from differences in alcohol content across nations and types of beverages, as highlighted by study co-author Tommaso Filippini, M.D., Ph.D.
The research team reviewed health data for all participants from the seven studies over a span of over five years. The comparison between regular drinkers and non-drinkers revealed an increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure tied to alcohol consumption. However, these observations were predominantly identified in males.
Despite the fact that alcohol isn’t the sole factor in rising blood pressure, it plays a significant role, according to Vinceti, who advised limited alcohol intake or even complete avoidance.
Interestingly, the participants’ initial blood pressure measurements had a profound influence on the study’s alcohol findings. Individuals with slightly elevated starting blood pressure readings exhibited a stronger correlation between alcohol intake and blood pressure fluctuations over time.
“Alcohol is certainly not the sole driver of increases in blood pressure; however, our findings confirm it contributes in a meaningful way. Limiting alcohol intake is advised, and avoiding it is even better,” adds study co-author Paul K. Whelton, M.D., M.Sc.
The analysis examined data from seven large-scale studies involving 19,548 adults (65% men), aged between 20 and early 70s at the start.
These studies were conducted in the United States, Korea, and Japan between 1997 and 2021, with none of the participants previously diagnosed with high blood pressure or other cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, liver disease, alcoholism or binge drinking.
The researchers used an innovative statistical technique to combine results from the multiple studies and chart the impact of varying alcohol consumption levels on changes in blood pressure over time.
The American Heart Association recommends not taking up drinking if one doesn’t already, and consulting a doctor about the pros and cons of moderate alcohol consumption if one does.
They advise against alcohol consumption for potential health benefits, advocating instead for their lifestyle and health metrics for optimal cardiovascular health known as Life’s Essential 8.
Source: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21224
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