Southport CAMRA: Why enjoying a drink or two can be good for you during this Covid lockdown

By Neville Grundy, Southport & West Lancs CAMRA 

I have read some reports in the media, including social media, expressing concern that people may be overindulging in alcohol during lockdowns and tier restrictions. While it is a reasonable point to raise, discussion of alcohol consumption is frequently distorted by misinformation, deliberate or otherwise, or moralistic prejudice.

Three years ago the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published a study that found moderate drinkers have a lower risk of heart attack, angina and heart failure when compared to teetotallers. They discovered that lifelong non-drinkers have a 24% higher mortality rate than moderate drinkers. The study involved nearly two million people.

The then CAMRA national chair Colin Valentine responded: “The study published in the BMJ, which shows that moderate alcohol consumption, such as a pint of real ale in the pub, is good for the heart is just the latest piece of research that demonstrates the benefits associated with moderate drinking.

 “While no one would disagree that excessive consumption of alcohol causes harm, there is a long list of scientific evidence that shows moderate alcohol consumption can have a positive impact on people’s personal and physical well-being.

“It is heartening to see this story covered by the media among the atmosphere of increasing alcohol ‘scare stories’ and misreporting of alcohol research. We hope this study will go some way towards helping people make informed choices about how they consume alcohol in the future.”

These findings followed a report earlier the same year that moderate and low-alcohol consumption could improve people’s personal and mental well-being. Researchers at the University of Oxford combined data from three separate studies, including a national survey by CAMRA, and demonstrated that people who visit their pub frequently tended to be more “socially engaged and contented” with their local community than those who did not.

At a time when most studies on alcohol focus on the health and anti-social behavioural problems caused by over-consumption, this study explained that: “Alcohol is known to trigger the endorphin system, and the social consumption of alcohol may thus have the same effect as the many other social activities such as laughter, singing and dancing.” 

These studies suggest that moderate drinking during lockdown can help both your physical and mental well-being – the key word here is of course ‘moderate’.

Here’s wishing you a happy Christmas during these unusual times – cheers!

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