A recent study shows that drinking may actually help boost your immune system.
Just in time for New Year’s eve, right? However, this study isn’t urging everyone to go out and guzzle a bottle of Jose. TIME clarifies that the study is only talking about drinking in moderation.
So, yes! Enjoy your drinks from time to time, but getting drunk on a regular basis will still do the exact opposite for your health. The study says that those who drink, in moderation, have a reduced risk of death and actually have better cardiovascular function.
The Daily Mail reported that the study was done on a group of primates who had similar immune systems to humans. Like humans, these primates showed a wide variety in drinking behavior.
The monkeys were all vaccinated at the beginning of the study for small pox. Primates who were “heavy drinkers” showed a poor response to the vaccine while those who drank in moderation actually had improvement in their immune systems.
Researchers still caution people who are learning about these new findings. Drinking in moderation does show some benefits, but people must be aware not to over-indulge.
A glass of wine with dinner, however, may turn out to be a great decision both for your cardiovascular health and immune system.