You’re Not Going To Like This: College Binge-Drinking Linked To Heart Disease

Remember the last time you drank a case of beer, half a bottle of tequila, four cups of jungle juice, and hated yourself for it in the morning? Yeah, well now you’re really going to regret it. A study by the American Heart Association (AHA) found that heavy drinkers have double the chances of developing heart disease, compared to moderate drinkers.

The culprit of the problem comes from an increase in something called a C-reactive protein (CRP), which marks inflamation in the body, increases of which can lead to cardiovascular problems. “Moderate drinkers,” or those who drink only two to five drinks at a time, one or two days a week, have half the CRP levels of those who drink in greater execess.

As Time.com reports, the study is not clear on whether or not heavy drinking in your college years can cause heart complications later in life, but warns that the possibility is good. From the article:

It is not clear yet whether drinking heavily during your college years means you’re setting yourself up for trouble down the line. To answer that, a long-term study would have to follow students once they entered middle age. Still, the concern is significant because some studies do suggest a carry-over effect between past CRP levels and future heart disease.

“If C-reactive-protein levels are predictive of a future risk of heart disease, then students might be beginning a dangerous pattern, [and that's a] reason to be concerned about college-age drinking,” warns Elizabeth Donovan, the (apparently precocious) undergrad who co-authored the study. Donovan is studying biology and nutrition at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., and collaborated on the research with adviser Amy Olsen, a professor of nutrition.

So next time you wake up in a gutter with your pants down and two forties duct-taped to your hands, remember: it’s all fun and games, until someone goes and gets heart disease. Which, actually, is true. But at least you’ve got a few long, hangover-filled years before the party’s over. Cheers!

(image source: Carsten Beneker)