Even moderate alcohol consumption—seven to 13 drinks a week—increases the risk of high blood pressure, according to a new analysis of the health records of 17,000 U.S. adults. Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center researchers found that the average blood pressure among nondrinkers was about 109/67, among moderate drinkers 128/79 and among heavy drinkers 153/82, based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the years 1988 to 1994. The higher readings could be the result of alcohol’s affect on the brain and liver, or because it raises caloric intake, partly by increasing appetite, say the researchers.

This article appears in the June 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings.