What Harm Can a Few Daily Sips Do?

Although light drinking has been touted as beneficial by many, a large observational study recently reported that small amounts of alcohol were linked to a common heart rhythm disturbance (arrhythmia) known as atrial fibrillation (Afib).

This is no small deal, as Afib is the most common arrhythmia in those over the age of seventy. However, it has increasingly been noted in younger folks as well. As a matter of fact, two of my best friends had refractory a fib in their early 50s, eventually requiring a definitive procedure known as an ablation. Furthermore, a 29-year-old athletic male patient of mine recently underwent an ablation for the same problem.

ABOUT THIS STUDY: Increase risk of a fib was observed in just one daily drink containing 12 g ethanol, whether the beverage was 120 mL wine (four-fifths of a standard glass, 330 mL of beer (nearly a can’s worth), or 40 mL of spirits (roughly one shot). Findings were consistent for both men and women.

Even very low alcohol consumption, at a mere 2 g per day, was marginally associated with risk of a fib over nearly 14 years of follow-up. (see link below from the European Heart Journal, January 2021).

This study from Hamburg, Germany pooled five community cohorts from Europe totaling 100,092 subjects. Based on questionnaires and hospital records, 5,854 individuals developed Afib over a median period of 13.9 years.

Limitations of the trial included reliance on self-reported drinking patterns in an observational study. We know from a randomized trial in 2019 that a reduction in alcohol intake led to a reduction in a fib recurrence. The current study adds that lowering alcohol consumption may be important for both prevention and management of Afib.

Further reading for those interested: Link to the study published in the European Heart Journal, Jan 2021: Alcohol consumption, cardiac biomarkers, and risk of atrial fibrillation and adverse outcomes

To learn more about this troublesome arrhythmia, it’s adverse consequences, and identifying those at risk, please join me for my next YouTube Live on Thursday February 4th at 7:00 pm PST. Simply subscribe to my channel: The Medical Advocate, Howard Elkin, MD

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE / DISCLAIMER: I am offering—always—only general information and my own opinion on this site. Always contact your physician or a health professional before starting any treatments, exercise programs or using supplements. ©Howard Elkin MD FACC, 2020