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Go Ahead And Drink A Bottle Of Wine A Day, Says Alcohol Scientist
By
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 19, 2014
Modified Apr 19, 2014
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 19, 2014
Modified Apr 19, 2014
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The CDC has established that one-in-six Americans binge drinks, but basically everyone else who drinks is, can be, or will become a "problem drinker." Having said that, it's not like the CDC are "alcohol scientists" or anything. But Dr. Kari Poikolainen, who used to work for the World Health Organization as an alcohol expert, is. And according to him, drinking a bottle of wine a day isn't bad for you. Although drinking nine bottles of wine a day probably is still bad.
Dr. Poikolainen, who has written a book about the positive health affects of alcohol, was previously Research Director at the Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies, with a focus on the causes and consequences of alcohol intake. He believes drinking only becomes harmful when people consume more than around 13 units a day—most bottles of wine contain 10. "The weight of the evidence shows moderate drinking is better than abstaining and heavy drinking is worse than abstaining - however the moderate amounts can be higher than the guidelines say," he said, according to the Daily Mail.
The CDC's definition of a binge drinker is someone who consumes five or more drinks (men), or four or more drinks (women), on one occasion lasting 2-3 hours. But they consider you a "problem drinker" if you consume 15 or more drinks on average (men), or eight or more drinks on average (women), per week. Which means if you have a few glasses of wine regularly, you're probably a problem drinker in their judgey eyes. Also, if you're drinking that much, you won't get sunburned, or something.
Clearly there are some contradictions within the world of alcohol research, so we advise you take Dr. Poilolainen's advice with a grain of salt (and a bottle of Brooklyn red). We've heard similar tales before: two years ago, Dr. Dipak Das from the University of Connecticut, who released many studies focused on the positive effects of red wine on the aging process, was found to have committed more than 100 acts of "data fabrication and falsification," discrediting his work.
Previously in scientific reports on alcohol consumption: drinking alcohol will make you less tired, although it will also destroy your memories, and it's really cool with kids and people who like to have sex, although it may give you cancer, or at least ruin your dancing abilities, but hey, you might live forever if you don't die first.
Tagged
alcohol
alcohol scientist
booze
good advice
great ideas
science
wine
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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