So most of us have heard that moderate drinking (particularly red wine) can be GOOD for your overall health, but new research indicates that drinking alcohol regularly actually increases the risk of experiencing a heart flutter.

More than 900,000 people were part of a study in which they were followed for at least 12 years and results showed that regular drinking, even light amounts, can be dangerous.  The subjects experienced an irregular heartbeat as a result of regular consumption.  This condition can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure and other complications, according to scientists from Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

The study published in the journal American College of Cardiology found that risk of experiencing an irregular heartbeat, otherwise known as atrial fibrillation, grew by 8 per cent for each daily alcoholic drink in both men and women.

Although the exact reason for the increased risk is unclear, a medical expert suggests there could be a number of factors that contribute to the situation:

“It may be that alcohol affects you on the cellular level, that it causes more fibrous tissue. It affects you on the electrical level, so the way that your heart speaks to itself is different. It affects our autonomic nervous system, which controls our (heart) rate, making things more irregular.”

More research will be needed to determine the specific relationship between alcohol and the heart, however knowing this information should be a warning flag that over consuming alcohol can have negative health implications.  The study actually suggests maximizing your consumption to just one per day to be safe, with two alcohol free days per week, or alternatively trying a non-alcoholic beverage as an alternative.

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