4 ms·

A lot of people are replying to you talking about lifespan. But I have read a ton of conflicting studies about this, and there are definitely some meta-studies

A lot of people are replying to you talking about lifespan. But I have read a ton of conflicting studies about this, and there are definitely some meta-studies which indicate it's rather difficult to drink enough to make your mortality worse than a non-drinker. In other words for all cause mortality, moderate drinkers > heavy drinkers > teetotalers Same with alcohol's affect on obesity. Counter intuitive. I am skeptical of those studies, but in any event they exist and there's a lot of controversy here. I also agree one can very very easily be fooling themselves about a substance but the assumption that you are not self aware is ideology based. Before we demonized substances there were countless examples of people who indulged heavily and seemed no more or less happy than their peers. I think our social standards are skewing the conversation and that's too bad. Some people have a problem with alchohol. Some people really don't. And for all of them it's their determination to make for themselves and something I should have no opinion about. Like all life choices. I humbly suggest others try taking the same attitude.

hug 9y ago
My grandparent post is talking about a man greater than I can ever expect to be, and all of the great things he achieved. Oh and also he drank his own volume in alcohol a week and smoked enough cigars to keep a tobacco plantation in business single-handedly. Now I'm no Churchill, so I don't expect to make his political or tactical achievements, but maybe I can match him at the other things.
- hvidgaard 9y ago
  Some people survive a major car accident without wearing a seatbelt, that does not mean that it's a good idea to not wear your seatbelt.
mercer 9y ago
> But I have read a ton of conflicting studies about this, and there are definitely some meta-studies which indicate it's rather difficult to drink enough to make your mortality worse than a non-drinker. I'm extremely skeptical of this as it seems to obvious to me that drinking to excess is bad for the body. But I haven't done the research. Do you have some links for evidence? I'm honestly curious.
- kgwgk 9y ago
  I agree. I found this, for example (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)62247-3/fulltext http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-67...): > Among 57 361 male smokers with no previous disease, the estimated 20-year risks of death at ages 35–54 years were 16% (95% CI 15–17) for those who reported consuming less than a bottle of vodka per week at baseline, 20% (18–22) for those consuming 1–2·9 bottles per week, and 35% (31–39) for those consuming three or more bottles per week Maybe there are some confounders not controlled for, but the association seems to go in the expected direction.
taneq 9y ago
> In other words for all cause mortality, moderate drinkers > heavy drinkers > teetotalers I remember reading that a few of the more publicized studies with this conclusion failed to control for the fact that many (if not most) people with chronic and fatal illnesses had to quit drinking, and so pumped up the mortality rate for 'teetotalers'.

hug 9y ago

My grandparent post is talking about a man greater than I can ever expect to be, and all of the great things he achieved. Oh and also he drank his own volume in alcohol a week and smoked enough cigars to keep a tobacco plantation in business single-handedly. Now I'm no Churchill, so I don't expect to make his political or tactical achievements, but maybe I can match him at the other things.

hvidgaard 9y ago
Some people survive a major car accident without wearing a seatbelt, that does not mean that it's a good idea to not wear your seatbelt.

mercer 9y ago

> But I have read a ton of conflicting studies about this, and there are definitely some meta-studies which indicate it's rather difficult to drink enough to make your mortality worse than a non-drinker. I'm extremely skeptical of this as it seems to obvious to me that drinking to excess is bad for the body. But I haven't done the research. Do you have some links for evidence? I'm honestly curious.

kgwgk 9y ago
I agree. I found this, for example (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)62247-3/fulltext http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-67...): > Among 57 361 male smokers with no previous disease, the estimated 20-year risks of death at ages 35–54 years were 16% (95% CI 15–17) for those who reported consuming less than a bottle of vodka per week at baseline, 20% (18–22) for those consuming 1–2·9 bottles per week, and 35% (31–39) for those consuming three or more bottles per week Maybe there are some confounders not controlled for, but the association seems to go in the expected direction.

taneq 9y ago

> In other words for all cause mortality, moderate drinkers > heavy drinkers > teetotalers I remember reading that a few of the more publicized studies with this conclusion failed to control for the fact that many (if not most) people with chronic and fatal illnesses had to quit drinking, and so pumped up the mortality rate for 'teetotalers'.