What Is Best for the Patient: Abstinence or Moderate Alcohol Consumption?

The widespread consumption of alcoholic beverages and their potentially conflicting health impacts makes a discussion of this topic vitally important for physicians. Alcohol (ethanol) consumption in large quantities is strongly linked to dramatic negative health consequences. The acute effects of alcohol consumption on behavior, motor function, and health risks are plainly observed in an emergency room on a Saturday night. The long-term effects of moderate consumption—years rather than hours—are much less clinically obvious. The biological effects of a drink are mostly related to its alcohol content, alcohol metabolites, and the other substances found in alcoholic beverages (i.e., sugars and polyphenolic compounds). While the health effects of alcohol consumption is the topic of countless reviews, this chapter focuses on issues related to recommendations that physicians may give to their patients.