Despite several previous studies linking regular alcohol
intake to higher risks of depression (and several other psychological
problems), a very hyped new study published in BMC Medicine has concluded that people over
the age of 55 who drink the equivalent of one glass of wine a day tend to
suffer from less depression than abstainers as well as those who drink more than
a glass a day.
As someone who follows that path, it’s nice to know, I
think, and does make a fair bit of sense since for me one of the main benefits
of alcohol intake is the social part – drinking with a spouse and friends – and
the stress-relieving part since alcohol tens to help people relax.
However, before everyone wanting to minimize their risk of
depression rushes off to buy a lifetime stash of chardonnay and merlot, let me
say that it’s also very possible that one of the other ways to parse the
evidence presented in this study is to argue that people who choose to drink a
glass of wine every day are likely a priori to be less likely to become
depressed.
And always remember that for alcohol especially,
moderation trumps excess, so that when you start getting abover a glass of wine
a day, the downsides of alcohol intake can kick in pretty quickly.
