Older People Quitting Beer

Most reliable previous studies on alcohol consumption also showed negative health effects for levels at and above 3 drinks a day. This study is in general agreement with findings for higher consumptions. Any health benefits at low consumption levels were previously estimated to be minimal.

 

I think the alcohol studies are a little more consistent. The debate mostly seems to be about exactly how much harm very moderate drinking does to your health. The one issue I haven't found any studies on, but have seen mentioned in the discussion portion of some studies on the health effects, is what the psychological benefits of engaging in culturally important alcohol consumption are. Seems to me that shared experiences of inebriation are something that all human societies have pursued, so I would assume there is some value to the participants.

But I wouldn't expect to see any new and shocking evidence that regular and heavy alcohol usage is suddenly found to be the next great health craze

 

Not at all what I was implying.

Google search: studies on moderate alcohol consumption

About 101,000,000 results (0.69 seconds)

No way of knowing the percentages pro or con, but you can bet it's probably close to 50/50.

As was misquoted earlier, but is a good outlook on life: Moderation in all things, including moderation.

 

This is going to sound overly combative but I'm really not trying to be rude.

If there's no way of knowing the percentages, how can you bet it's probably close to 50/50? That's essentially wish fulfillment.

Clinical studies, for the most part, outline methods and data to support their conclusion. It's all there to go look at. The guy with the background in substance abuse treatment is not making stuff up.

 

Just basing it on my experiences of hearing opposing study results every other month over the years. But feel free to look into it.

And no "wish fulfillment" involved, I'm one of those who's cut back for health reasons over the years, and happier for it. It's just a healthy skepticism of those multiple (upon multiple) clinical studies you speak of. As I said, look up coffee studies, to keep it out of the substance abuse category (for the most part).

 

Once I saw a positive coffee study, I’ve never read another!

 

Well into my 70's, retired...

Brewery visits 2+ times a week, now that we are vaccinated and COVID is no longer spreading like a Texas grass fire on a windy day, and a refrigerator full of craft beer at home, most from local breweries.

During COVID lock-downs, I didn't cut back on beer, but lost 20 pounds. Can only attribute that to eating better at home, vs. the burger and fries, and other goodies from food trucks at the breweries.

I like wine, but not the headache that it gives me. Used to like Bourbon, but I've lost my taste for that also.

 

47 here and keep it to one or two on the per night on the weekends and perhaps a couple during the week. Just not interested in putting in that much liquid at a clip. Health is definitely a factor when watching your BP and cholesterol.
Since the legalization is sweeping the nation an edible and a high ABV beer or a couple hi balls and it's an evening on the weekends.

 

I'm 47 as well, I have a beer or two if I'm cooking dinner maybe once a week, a couple on the Fi-Sat nights but that's about it, most of the time I don't have the time (3 young kids)

My old man (78) was a couple Coors lights after work drinker my entire life. He claims he can't drink as much beer now because of digestion, and then drinks two whatever local (New Hampshire) IPA is on sale at Market Basket and complains its too hoppy and gives him indigestion. Now I have a goal.

 

I’ve moved on to bourbon. I do still enjoy a beer now and then but it’s pretty rare.

Maybe bourbon is just shiny and new to me and I’ll burn out on it too and move to something else. Or back to beer.

 

I am 70. I will quit beer when I am put in the ground.

 

I'm slowing down. Just my body telling me. So many beers, so little time.

Raise Hell! Drink Beer!?

 

I’ve read through the first few posts, and as a BA who qualifies as “older” (statistically in the final 1/3 of my life) I’ll weigh in.

I started getting serious about beer late—coinciding loosely with becoming a dad, which also happened relatively late. But yes, as my 40s rolled into my 50s I’ve cut back quite a bit. I’ve thankfully never had a problem from a substance-abuse/addiction perspective (I don’t know a lot about addiction but I think maybe I’m not wired that way, who knows)—but I’ve definitely seen the effects on my weight and with COVID that was a double whammy. Since around June of last year I’ve made a concerted effort to lose weight—I really just got tired of being a lot heavier than I should be, and my blood work has been showing elevated enzyme levels that indicate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (or whatever they are calling it now). Losing about 30 pounds over the last few months instantly got those numbers back in line, and I feel a lot better too. I was actually amazed by that.

So I can’t really imagine beer never being a part of my life—but I’ll regularly go days or weeks without having one. Ten years ago I think I was trying to make up for lost time, and my body paid a pretty high price. The good news is, it’s not that hard (for me anyway) to cut back and I actually enjoy beer more now because it’s kind of a special occasion whenever I have one.

To each one’s own.

 

NA beer threads, Weight loss threads, Fitness threads, Quitting Beer threads, Dear Abby threads - maybe it's time to start the Anti-Alcohol forum under the Other Interests category to prevent these topics from clogging up the main General Interest beer forums?

 

I like my bourbon but I drink far more beer than I do bourbon.

 

Isn't "critic" the opposite of "advocate?"

Maybe a completely new website for others?

 

Critic is not exactly the opposite of advocate. By the 50s the brewing industry's U. S. Brewers Assn. USBA had adopted the slogan "America's Beverage of Moderation".
https://clickamericana.com/topics/f...t-americas-beverage-of-moderation-1940s-1950s
The USBA produced ads that they felt would advocate for their products. But at the same time the advertising was delivering a message encouraging moderate consumption. The ad might be interpreted as an implicit criticism of high alcohol beer.

 

Thank you Captain Pedantic -- or maybe you missed the emoji that meant I wasn't being serious. Or at least not as serious as you.

 

my apologies. I generally ignore imoji's.

 

I'm a work in progress at 55. I mostly stay away from high abv but something grabs my attention now and again. If I'm doing a flight, I'll still throw one in.