每天少量飲酒真的有益心臟麼?

Many studies have hinted that alcohol, in moderation, can do a heart good. But new research suggests that moderate drinkers are no more likely than teetotalers to have clear arteries.

很多研究暗示，適度飲酒對心臟有好處。但是新的研究表明，適度飲酒者並不比不飲酒者的動脈更順暢。

The scientists looked at almost 2,000 patients who underwent CT angiography -- an imaging test that detects "plaques" in heart arteries.

科學家觀察了大約2000名經歷了CT血管造影的患者，血管造影是一種檢測心臟動脈中的"斑塊"的成像測試。

Overall, there was no association between people's drinking habits and their odds of showing clogged vessels.

總體而言，人們的飲酒習慣和他們出現血管阻塞的機率之間沒有聯繫。

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Researchers said an advantage of the new study is that it used objective measurements.

研究人員表示，這項新研究的一個優點是它使用了客觀測量的方法。

"No prior studies have assessed the relationship between alcohol consumption and the presence of coronary heart disease," said lead researcher Dr. Julia Karady. "We could not find any relation between the presence of coronary artery disease and alcohol consumption."

首席研究員朱莉婭·卡拉迪博士說："之前的研究沒有評估飲酒與冠心病之間的關係。我們沒有發現冠狀動脈疾病和飲酒之間的任何關係。"

At the same time, she added, there was no evidence that heavier drinking raised the risk of clogged arteries.

同時，她補充說道，沒有證據表明重度飲酒會增加動脈阻塞的風險。

However, groups like the American Heart Association (AHA) warn against excessive drinking, because it can raise blood pressure and contribute to heart failure and other cardiovascular problems.

然而，美國心臟協會（AHA）等團體告誡人們不要過度飲酒，因爲它可以使血壓升高並導致心力衰竭和其他心血管問題。

In general, "moderate" is defined as no more than one glass of alcohol a day for women, and no more than two a day for men.

一般來說，"適度"定義爲女性每天不超過一杯酒，而男性每天不超過兩杯。

But those studies do not prove that alcohol, itself, protects the heart -- in large part because alcohol also carries risks.

但是這些研究不能證明酒精本身能保護心臟--很大程度上是因爲酒精也會帶來風險。