Having a supportive social network enhances the health benefits of having a few drinks, new research from Japan suggests.

The study of Japanese men years found that moderate to light alcohol consumption, coupled with high levels of social support, were linked to lower rates of heart disease and stroke.

"But remember," Dr. Hiroyasu Iso from Osaka University noted¹ in a statement, "this beneficial effect of social support is confined to light-to-moderate drinking. Heavy drinking is risky² irrespective of social support level."

In a report in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, the researchers note that light to moderate drinking has been shown to help protect against stroke and heart disease. Being surrounded by lots of family and friends is also known to be good for the heart and may even help people live longer.

The new study, Iso and colleagues say, shows that high levels of social support may enhance the heart-healthy effects of light to moderate alcohol consumption.

Iso's team examined drinking patterns, social support and cardiovascular health of 19,356 men in their 40s, 50s and 60s who were enrolled³ in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective⁴ Study. Their alcohol consumption was classified into seven categories: never, past, occasional, 1 to 149, 150 to 299, 300 to 449, or 450 or more grams of alcohol per week.

During an average follow up of more than 9 years, 629 strokes and 207 coronary heart diseases were documented in the men.

Confirming past studies, heavier drinking (i.e., 300 grams per week or more) was associated with an increased risk of stroke. This may be explained at least partly by alcohol-induced high blood pressure, the researchers say.

In contrast to heavy drinking, light to moderate drinking -- up to 299 grams of alcohol per week -- was associated with reduced risks of stroke and heart disease, and the effect was more pronounced in men with high levels of social support, "probably due to avoidance of unhealthy behaviors and enhancement of stress buffering," Iso surmised⁵.

Compared with light to moderate drinkers with high social support, those with low social support had unhealthier lifestyle behaviors; they were more apt to be sedentary and had fewer opportunities for medical checkups. They were also more likely to have high stress levels, no job, and no spouse⁶.

The researchers speculate that low levels of social support may cause mental stress, which is hard on the heart. Mental stress activates⁷ components⁸ of the body's neuro-endocrine system, "which lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease," Iso explained.

日本一项最新研究表明，良好的社会关系能够增进适量饮酒带来的健康益处。

这项对日本男性开展的长期研究发现，适量或少量饮酒再加上高层次的社会支持能够降低患心脏病和中风的几率。

大阪大学的矶博康博士在一份声明中称：“但是要牢记，社会支持的这种益处仅限于少量或适量饮酒，不论社会支持程度如何，大量饮酒都很危险。”

研究人员在发表于《酒精中毒：临床与实验研究》期刊上的报告中指出，研究已证实少量或适量饮酒有助于预防中风和心脏病。此外，有众多家人和朋友的陪伴对心脏健康也有好处，甚至能延年益寿。

矶博康博士及其同事开展的这项最新研究表明，高层次的社会支持可能会增加少量或适量饮酒对心脏健康的益处。

这项前瞻性研究由日本公共卫生中心开展，共有19356名男性参加。矶博康博士的研究小组调查了他们在40多岁、50多岁和60多岁时的饮酒情况、社会关系和心血管健康状况，并将他们的饮酒量从从不饮酒、过去饮酒、偶尔饮酒、每周饮用1至149克、150至299克、300至449克、到450克以上划分为七个档次。

在九年多的平均跟踪回访期间内，共有629人患中风，207人患冠心病。

之前研究表明，大量饮酒（每周300克及以上）会增加中风的风险。研究人员称，饮酒导致的高血压至少可在一定程度上解释这一现象。

与大量饮酒形成鲜明对比，适量饮酒（每周299克及一下）可以降低中风及患心脏病的几率，这在社会支持程度较高的人群中更为明显。 矶博康博士猜测称：“这可能是因为适量饮酒可以避免不健康行为，并能缓解压力。”

与少量或适量饮酒同时社会支持程度高的人相比，社会支持程度低的人生活方式较不健康，他们经常久坐，而且很少体检。此外，他们更容易处于压力大、失业及无伴侣的生活状态。

研究人员推测称，社会支持程度较低可能会导致精神压力，而这不利于心脏健康。矶博康博士解释说，精神压力会刺激神经内分泌系统的某些部位，“从而增大患心血管病的几率。”