Can drinking small amounts of alcohol really be good for your heart? Yes, but only in moderate amounts and not for all people. Drinking alcohol in moderation means no more than one drink (≤15 g/d of alcohol, equivalent to 450 ml of beer, or 150 ml of wine, or 50 g of 38-degree liquor) for women and no more than two drinks (≤25 g/d of alcohol, equivalent to 750 ml of beer, or 250 ml of wine, or 75 g of 38-degree liquor) for men, and this prevents heart disease in certain groups of people. Alcohol may be beneficial to the heart in these ways: 1. Increasing levels of HDL cholesterol (the “good cholesterol”) 2. Lowering blood pressure 3. Preventing blood clotting. This may delay a heart attack, or it may make it easier to bleed.4. Helps prevent damage caused by high levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). However, excessive alcohol consumption is more likely to lead to the development of other serious diseases, such as liver disease, cancer and stomach ulcers, among others. Regular or heavy alcohol intake can damage the heart, leading to a disease of the heart muscle called “cardiomyopathy”. Alcohol abuse can lead to irregular heart rhythms called arrhythmias. That’s why you can’t store up a moderate amount of alcohol on weekdays to get drunk on weekends. Alcohol can be detrimental to some people. If you have heart failure, cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure, diabetes, arrhythmia, stroke, or high blood cholesterol any of these conditions, consult your doctor if you are unsure if alcohol is appropriate for you. Obese people, pregnant women and people with a history of alcoholism should not drink alcohol. Certain medications mixed with alcohol can interfere with their effectiveness, and this is usually shown on the medication’s instructions as a warning not to drink alcohol while you are taking the medication.