Too many people still believe that a glass of red wine a day is good for your heart. It is said to dilate the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow smoothly. But this narrative is misleading and unsupported by scientific evidence: there is no protective effect of alcohol on cardiovascular health. On the contrary, every year in the European Union around 50,000 people die from cardiovascular disease linked to alcohol consumption.
Some studies suggest that moderate drinkers appear healthier in certain respects. However, far too often these studies suffer from scientific shortcomings. Alcohol increases blood pressure and, in doing so, raises the risk of various potentially fatal cardiovascular conditions, including stroke, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. The evidence is clear: the more alcohol you drink, the greater the risk. It really isn’t more complicated than that. On top of this, alcohol consumption also increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer.
Some research indicates that cardiovascular disease occurs less frequently among people who drink one to two glasses of wine per day. However, this has nothing to do with alcohol itself. One possible explanation lies in polyphenols, antioxidants found in wine. But polyphenols are also found in fruits and vegetables. You don’t need a glass of wine to get their benefits
And yet, alcohol continues to be portrayed as indispensable for atmosphere and joie de vivre: in advertising, in supermarkets, at festivals, and in the TV series we watch. The message remains constant and is passed on to the next generation: alcohol consumption is framed as essential to social life, celebration, and enjoyment. Myths like the one surrounding red wine sustain a comforting narrative of harmlessness, reassuring us that alcohol is not so harmful after all. These myths are actively fuelled by a powerful, calculated, and relentless alcohol industry, driven by high profit margins, not by concern for people’s health.
But alcohol is harmful. And as always, the burden falls on society: preventable deaths, illness, social harm and avoidable suffering. Cheers.
Join EHN in calling for evidence-based EU action to reduce alcohol consumption as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease: Sign the EHN Alcohol & CVD Pledge.
Discover EHN’s Dry January campaign.
Explore EHN’s work on alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease prevention.
Read EHN’s latest position paper on the impact of alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease.