Sensible drinking can lower stroke risk, but not for smokers
A study of over 20,000 people in the UK found that non-smokers who drank moderate amounts were nearly 40 per cent less likely to have a stroke than non-drinkers, but once they started smoking, the protective effect was gone. Led by Cambridge University, the study looked at 22,254 people over 12 years, who suffered nearly 900 strokes. People who drank moderately (one or two small glasses of wine a day) saw a 37 per cent decrease in the risk of stroke, but only if they didn’t smoke. Smoking drinkers and smoking non-drinkers saw a similar level of risks. Ten per cent of stroke deaths, and one-quarter of all strokes, are linked to smoking, but alcohol thins the blood, which can prevent clots from forming.