Dr Mark Vanderpump cautioned: “Alcohol excess over a prolonged period is a known risk factor for raised blood pressure.” But what exactly is considered to be over the limit? Dr Vanderpump clarified: “More than 21 units per week for men and 14 units per week in women. Alcohol may also raise blood pressure acutely if drunk to excess (more than three drinks) in a single session.”
The rise in blood pressure, however, will be temporary “unless you are a regular heavy drinker”.
Dr Vanderpump added: “It may take up to four weeks for the effects of heavy drinking on blood pressure to wear off, but may persist if there is repeated binge drinking.”
As for the type of alcoholic beverage that might be better than another, in terms of blood pressure, Dr Vanderpump shared the facts.
“It is the amount of alcohol that is relevant rather than the type of drink, and the higher the alcohol intake the worse the effect,” he stated.
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He did mention, however, that “some alcoholic drinks with mixers will have a higher calorie count”.
This can, over time, “lead to weight gain, which will also impact blood pressure”.
Risk factors for high blood pressure (i.e. hypertension), as pointed out by the NHS, include:
- Obesity
- Eating too much salt
- Not enough exercise
- Drinking too much alcohol or coffee
- Smoking
- Not getting enough sleep
- Are over the age of 65.
“Making healthy lifestyle changes can sometimes help reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure,” the NHS says.
Slightly differing from Dr Vanderpump, the NHS suggests both men and women should drink no more than 14 units per week.
“That’s around six medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or six pints of four percent beer,” the health body says.
Reducing the amount you drink can lead to short-term and long-term health benefits.
In the short-term, cutting back on drinking can lead to:
- Feeling better in the mornings
- Being less tired and more energetic
- Better-looking skin.
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Meanwhile, a standard pint of lager has the same amount of calories as a packet of crisp.
To exemplify the number of calories alcoholic beverages can contain, here are a few more examples.
One 175ml of glass (12 percent ABV) is equivalent to three Jaffa Cake biscuits.
And four bottles of wine a month adds up to 27,000 calories, which is the same as 48 Big Macs.
