In a new study from the University of Adelaide, researchers found drinking less than six Australian-standard glasses of alcohol a week is linked to the lowest risk of developing atrial fibrillation, but not all alcohol is created equal.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an irregular and rapid heart rate that can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. Symptoms include heart palpitations, shortness of breath and weakness.
Past research has shown that binge drinking and consumption of large amounts of alcohol increase your risk of developing atrial fibrillation.
But it was not clear whether consumption of low amounts of alcohol increases your risk of developing AF.
In this study, the team used data from the UK Biobank, a large-scale research database with health information collected from half a million UK volunteers.
They found that those who consumed less than six Australian standard drinks of alcohol per week had the lowest risk of developing AF.
They also found that beer and cider consumption was linked to a greater risk of atrial fibrillation, compared to red wine and white wine consumption.
These findings suggest that responsible consumption of alcohol up to six drinks per week is safe in terms of minimizing your risk of atrial fibrillation.
For those currently consuming alcohol, drinking red or white wine could potentially be a safer alternative to other types of alcoholic beverages.
The team says these findings do not apply to people who already suffer from atrial fibrillation, who may find that cutting down their alcohol consumption may reduce their symptoms.
Researchers also found the recommended number of drinks per week is not different for men and women. Less than six drinks per week is the cut-off for both men and women.
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The study is published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. One author of the study is Samuel Tu.
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