California researchers have found that the equivalent of one or two drinks reduces the damages caused by a heart attack by 70 percent. It was also suggested that alcohol might assist in preventing damage caused during open-heart surgery or heart transplants.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Science published this research in their October 26, 1999, issue. In the article, Mochly-Rosen points out that most studies show that moderate amounts of alcohol reduce heart disease over a long period of time. They wanted to see if it would do the same in a shorter period.

The researchers found that the heart protection benefit from alcohol occurs within a few minutes. This study also shows that the benefit is a direct result of alcohol on the heart muscle.

(inf. printed in NBWA Beer Perspectives, January 31, 2000)