Are Some Alcoholic Drinks Safer for HAE Than Others?
Currently, no research shows whether one type of alcoholic drink is safer than others when it comes to managing HAE. Montejo notes that people with HAE may respond differently even to small amounts of alcohol, depending on their individual tolerance, overall health, and other factors. If you choose to drink, she recommends keeping the amount as small as possible.
That advice also applies to red wine — some studies have linked limited red wine consumption with better heart health, but researchers haven’t proved that red wine causes those benefits.
Regardless of the type of drink, limiting yourself to a small amount doesn’t eliminate alcohol’s health risks. The World Health Organization states that even light or moderate drinking carries health risks, and no amount of alcohol is completely risk-free. Moderate drinking has been defined as up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men, though current guidelines recommend drinking less alcohol for better overall health.
For reference, a standard drink is defined as:
- 12 ounces (oz) of regular beer containing 5 percent alcohol (about a standard bottle)
- 5 oz of wine containing 12 percent alcohol (about one glass)
- 1.5 oz of distilled spirits containing 40 percent alcohol (about one “shot”)
Despite their different serving sizes, each contains roughly the same amount of alcohol. A larger or stronger beverage may contain more than one standard drink.
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