Fact of the day

Among Asian men, even low alcohol intake of up to 20 g a day was linked with a 25% higher risk of developing high blood pressure, with risk rising dose by dose to 78% higher in the heaviest drinkers; among Western men a similar dose pattern appeared, but only intakes above 60 g a day showed a clearly significant increase.

Study design

Meta-analysis

Journal

Korean J Intern Med

Evidence

well supported

⚠What it shows: A consistent dose pattern, but pooled from 11 studies that followed drinkers rather than testing alcohol on them, so other habits travelling with drinking may share the blame. Every study was in men, so it says nothing directly about women.Meta-analysis · Korean J Intern Med