Booze Thins The Blood

Moderate drinkers have lower rates of heart disease, as research has shown, but they may have a price to pay: Alcohol can thin the blood, perhaps increasing the risk of bleeding strokes. That's the finding from a study published in the October issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. Study author Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, a researcher at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston, found that alcohol intake thins the blood, which is good for preventing clots that can lead to heart attacks but not good when it comes to the risk of bleeding strokes.

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