In a new podcast episode, a scholar digs into the truth about alcohol’s benefits and risks.
We have long heard the claims that a glass of red wine is good for your heart, but it turns out that the research that fueled this wisdom was actually skewed. Some studies made it appear like moderate drinkers were healthier than people who didn’t drink at all, leading the public to believe that alcohol was healthier than it is.
While drinking alcohol occasionally might not have catastrophic effects on your health, the data shows that even moderate drinking will reduce your life expectancy.
Today, trends like sober-curiosity and “Dry January” are on the rise, and some countries around the world are even implementing new policies around alcohol regulation.
Tim Stockwell, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research and a professor of psychology at the University of Victoria, has reviewed hundreds of studies that he claims embellished alcohol’s effects.
In this episode of the Big Brains podcast, Stockwell explains how the new science of drinking is changing the public perception of alcohol:
Read this episode’s transcript.
Source: University of Chicago
