To drink or not to drink.....

That is the question

Scientists believe alcohol is effective for people at risk for heart disease because it reduces blood stickiness, thus decreasing the danger that people will develop blood clots that may lead to heart attacks and strokes.

It also increases the level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, which reduces heart disease by carrying cholesterol from the body's cells to the liver for elimination.

Studies released in July 2000 linked alcohol with lowering the chances of Alzheimer's disease and stroke, and reducing deaths from heart disease in diabetics.

A study on 224 young women took place based on the relationship between alcohol and stroke risk in young adults. The study was published in the January 2001 issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association and found that those who drank about two alcoholic drinks per day had an almost 60% lower risk of stroke than those who never drank.

Even if moderate alcohol use does provide some health benefits, people need to be aware of the risks. People suffering from depression may want to avoid alcohol, which is a depressant and can counteract the effects of antidepressant medications. Drinking can likewise increase the risk of dangerous interactions between alcohol and other prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

While research shows good news for people in danger of developing heart disease who drink, one finding raises a flag for women at high risk for breast cancer. The same 1997 study that linked alcohol with heart disease found that women in the study who had one drink a day had a 30% higher risk of dying from breast cancer. Other studies on the topic have found slight to significant increases in breast cancer risk from moderate or "social" drinking though the conclusion remains controversial. However, researchers seem to agree that the chances increase dramatically with higher alcohol consumption.

This is in addition to the countless other risks associated with heavier drinking-car accidents, falls and other injuries, cirrhosis, and cardiomyopathy (a disorder of the heart muscle), as well as violence, alcohol poisoning and suicide. To reduce the dangers of any of these problems, it's important to keep your drinking to a minimum and not overindulge.