Is wine consumption good for heart disease?This is one of the FAQs related to 5th Precept. People will often quote the "French Paradox" study. This study has MANY limitations:
1. It's a study in the French population - may NOT be applicable to Malaysians.
2. The study is ONLY for moderate wine consumption and not in alcoholics.
3. The study is NOT a strong scientific study - it only suggests and NOT a solid proof.
4. There are others studies to suggest that the evidence is FALSE.
5. It's an OLD study, 1992 - Not up to date.
For a proper perspective of alcohol consumption and heart disease, kindly refer to guidelines from American Heart Assoication: Some of the useful points:
1. Drinking alcohol to prevent heart attack is NEVER a recommendation. i have not come across any medical guidelines in my practice to suggest that people should take up moderate alcohol drinking as a way to prevent heart attack.
2. There are other gold standard strategies to prevent heart attack e.g. stop smoking, control diabetis, hypertension and dyslipidemia, exercise & healthy diet.
3. If you are already drinking alcohol and can't stop drinking, then the next best option is to reduce drinking to a safe level as recommended.
4. Alcohol shouldn't be mixed with Aspirin, a medication commonly prescribed for people with heart attack.
5. Alcohol during pregnancy is a strict NO! There is no such thing as alcohol in little amount for health benefits during pregnancy.
6. Alcoholism is associated with various medical and psychiatric complications.
Overall conclusion: Taking alcohol in moderate amount for health reason may not break the 5th Precept as it usually does not involve addiction or intoxication. But, there is NO strong scientific basis to support that it can prevent heart attack or any other disease. On the other hand, alcohol addiction or intoxication is strongly associated with medical, psychiatric and social complications from a Buddhist and medical pespective.
Hope this is useful.........
Mudita,
dr. phang
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