Exercise May Offset Health Risks Of Drinking: Study

Good news for all you lushes out there.

According to a new study released in the British Journal of Sports Medicine this month, heavy drinkers who exercise may be less likely to die from alcohol-related diseases than those who don’t.

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Researchers compared the health outcomes of more than 36,000 people who self-reported their alcohol and exercise levels over the span of 12 years.

The study had interesting results for individuals who were categorized as “hazardous” drinkers, a.k.a., women who drank between eight and 20 alcoholic beverages and men who drank 21 to 49 drinks per week. (Unfortunately, those who drank more than that did not see the same benefits from exercise, so keep  that in mind.)

The results? “[The] association between alcohol intake and mortality risk was moderated by PA (physical activity),” the study found.

Also read: What’s the best alcohol to drink on a diet? 

High alcohol consumption has been linked in previous studies to all sorts of heightened health risks, including heart disease, stroke and various cancers.

However, some experts were quick too point out that the apparent link between heavy boozing and exercise and is not so cut and dry.

“It is important to consider alternative explanations for the findings,” Matt Field of the University of Liverpool told the Science Media Centre in London. “For example, people who are already ill may be less active than those who are healthy.”

Others pointed out that the differences in diet of people who exercise versus those who don’t may also be a factor.

Still, for those who exercise regularly yet also regularly enjoy nights out on the town, the study may be cause for celebration.

Champagne anyone?