Can alcohol be medicinal?

Alcohol has been consumed by humans for thousands of years, being used for everything from religious ceremonies to simply helping us have a good time. Despite its long history, alcohol consumption remains a topic of controversy and debate among health professionals regarding its medicinal value. So can alcohol be considered as having any medical benefits? Read on, folks!

The Pros & Cons of Drinking

Before we answer the question above — “Can alcohol be medicinal?” — let’s explore some general pros and cons of drinking.

Pros:

• Relaxation: many people find that a drink after work or before bed helps them unwind and relax.
• Improved digestion: small amounts (one standard drink) could increase appetite and promote digestive juices’ secretion.
• Controlled diabetes risk: Moderate wine drinkers have shown 30% lower risks in Type II Diabetes compared to non-drinkers according to studies.
• Social advantages: socially moderate levelled drinks may offer relief from stressful social events.

Cons:

Let’s face it; overly consuming anything is harmful.

Such is the case with alcohol too where excessive usage leads to:

• High blood pressure
• Cancer
• Mental illnesses like depression etc
• Damage control problems

In short, drinking regularly large amounts do not favorably weigh in balance against any liquor-related health benefits.

As per NIAAA recommendations, “Moderate” 1–2 g/ kg/day shots are defined as up to one beverage daily for women or up two beverages per day for men while avoiding binge drinking episodes.”

Is Alcohol Truly Medicinal?

Real talk – there is no denying that consuming too much alcohol poses serious health problems. However—— There are scenarios where alcoholic beverages can serve medical purposes when consumed with caution- sometimes prescribed by doctors such as bitters, tincture extractions e.t.c.

To know whether alcoholic drinks can help cure diseases or ease ailments, let’s take a closer look at some herbs to which beverages can be added.

The Role of Alcohol in Medicine

Alcohol has been used as a solvent for extracting active ingredients out of herbal substances such as:

1) Dandelion roots

This plant bitters form detoxification to the liver. A permitted alcohol dose could potentiate the health benefits and aid cells’ metabolisms without toxicity effects.

### 2) Milk thistle extract
It’s an excellent herb that supports healthy liver functions purifying blood toxins by accelerating their natural breakdown cycles before exiting through urine or fecal waste management.

### 3) Hawthorn berry tincture benefits (or tea)
It stimulates the digestive system, helps lower cholesterol levels, and improves overall cardiovascular health. Drink responsibly though!

What Do Scientists Say?

Now that we have covered how small doses of alcoholic drinks with herbal extracts can possess medical values let’s see what science has to say about it all.

According to researchers from Spain and Germany, drinking red wine lowers inflammation due to naturally released catechin during stomaching fermentation processes. And regarding white wine — Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant contained in grapes particles decreases Cancer risks, obesity also contributes its part against Alzheimer’s disease occurrences’ possibilities.

There’s evidence showing possible microbe reductions triggering intestinal polyps initially induced via alkylating agents causing inflammatory disturbance like Probiotic use involvement concepts too!

But wait there are caveats – this research was conducted on rats; so further human experimentation is needed before coming up with reliable conclusions based entirely around these results alone folks!

Conclusion

We hope you found our post informative on whether alcohol can be considered medicinal or not while following moderate consumption limits governed by NIAAA regulations. Be sure never to exceed your daily limit range and consult professionals where necessary; remember always drink responsibly whilst enjoying life!
Cheers folks!