Health benefits of moderate drinking

[Homeless Nutter]

I've read a lot of articles that claim that people who drink alcohol (particularly red wine) in moderation have a lower risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes, depression and Alzheimer's disease. So, I started drinking a glass of red wine every day a few months ago. 

Sounds like bullsh*t to me.

Do you guys drink? If so, what kind of alcohol and how much? Given the preponderance of evidence of the health benefits of moderate drinking, I think people who abstain from alcohol need to have good reasons for doing so.

Yeah - like, maybe - a medical condition?
I don't know about any studies regarding particular diseases, or types of alcohol (if you have some links handy - I'd love to see them), but there have been studies which might have suggested, that people who drink in moderation on average live longer, than those who don't drink at all. Incidentally, similar kind of studies seems to conclude, that overweight people live longer than slim ones. So, go and have a few Big Macs a day, why don't you?

The trouble with those studies - the way I understand it - is that they are not controlled clinical experiments, but are based on pre-existing, limited and largely self-reported medical data. What they don't seem to take into account is that many people, who abstain from alcohol, do so because they have a medical problem, which may shorten their lives - many are "dry" alcoholics, who already damaged their bodies and took years off theirs. Similarly - many people who are skinny, are skinny because of some sort of condition (possibly not diagnosed), or simply because they have stressful, hectic lifestyles. 

I don't think those studies control for those factors. I doubt they control for the way people drink either - those who drink have a lot more opportunities for social interaction, at least in the places where alcohol is popular and legal, which is most of the world. Non-drinkers don't tend to have a good time around drunk people, I think (I didn't when I was a non-drinker, but then - I still don't, even when I'm drunk), especially aforementioned alcoholics. 

I doubt alcohol has much of a positive effect in itself. But it can help people relax, as well as self-medicate certain mental issues and is widely used as a social lubricant. And sure - I imagine those of us, who can take the edge off the daily stress and those who have a healthy social life will live longer. Even if they slowly poison themselves with Satan's p*ss.