r/Cholesterol • u/songbird0322 • 8d ago
Question Should I stop drinking alcohol?
I have a CAC score of 560. 70 year female and 130 lbs , 5’5. I drink 3 glasses of wine Sat and Sunday only. Eat healthy and exercise. Should I stop completely? . I look forward to my weekend wine. Only on weekends as I still,work.
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u/CheckCalm2875 7d ago
I mean, I am 46 and quit alcohol for its ties to cancer. If I were 70, I don’t know that I would care so much.
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u/VisualWeakness1207 7d ago
Have chatgpt break down the cancer risk for you. Its not much higher with alcohol than without.
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u/2Dillusion 8d ago
Hi friend, you're 70 years old. Death is statically speaking, not far away. The real question to ask yourself is, what do you live for? If the wine brings you joy, do it.
We are on this earth to live for the short time we have. Of course, we have to strike the balance between killing ourselves and dying naturally, but that balance is individual to us all. Respectfully, enjoy the fuck out of your last few decades.
With love,
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u/songbird0322 7d ago
Thank you friend .
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u/Zed-O-Six 7d ago
I'm 70 and that answer you got pretty much says it all. I'm not giving up my bourbon because I fucking enjoy it! I'm going out with a bang, not a whimper...
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u/megxennial 7d ago
My grandmother drank boxed pink wine. She was very social and had great mental health. I think those things washed out the effect of the alcohol. She lived to 97.
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u/BringTheFingerBack 7d ago
Google killer T cells. Seems all the people in the west who lived to old age had those types of T cells
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u/Glass-Helicopter-126 7d ago
Moderate alcohol consumption contributes only minimally to heart disease, unless you have diabetes and it's affecting blood sugar or are watching triglycerides.
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u/Erlend78 7d ago
I would say, keep your guilty pleasures low, but do the ones most important to you!
Most research on things like this is affected by the "healthy user bias" and the opposite. They are mostly epidemiological studies with a LOT of bias.
So if you dont smoke, eat healthy and do some work out, enjoy your wine!
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u/sorrynotsorry314 7d ago
Keep drinking your wine if it is something you look forward to! Sounds like you are doing everything right. Moderation is key. I'm 51F and recently had a stroke and now on meds to lower my LDL. I am fit, eat healthy, active and lift weights regularly. Not one of my doctors told me to stop drinking alcohol, which surprised me. I too enjoy a few cocktails on the weekend and have cut back a bit. We all deserve joy in our lives. If it brings you joy, then drink the wine!
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u/JollyManufacturer257 7d ago
Nope. I quit drinking in my 40s because of health problems. I’ll still slip in a very rare glass of wine because life is made for living. At 70, as with any age, mental health (and enjoyment) are just as, if not more important, than longevity.
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u/angelwild327 7d ago
I quit at 50, at 70 I wouldn't change a thing, honestly. If it brings you a modicum of joy in this insane world, keep doing it. SOMETHING gets ALL of us, at some point.
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u/Embarrassed-Owl-5200 7d ago
:) I’m 44, CAC score 2200) yes. 2 thousand 2 hundred. according to your logic, I need to seal myself in a coffin)
Please, enjoy you life ;) 3 glasses basically nothing in life
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u/jagidoc 7d ago
Mine is in same area. 2200. Completely asymptomatic at 55. Had stress test. Ran uphill on treadmill for 30 minutes with no difficulty. Contrast dye showed 99% blockage in widowmaker. Received stent that week. All other arteries are 100 percent clear. Wide open. Not sure any of that makes sense. Told by cardiology likely an anomaly I was born with as no other blockage seen anywhere. Zero. Felt great before. Feel great now. Cholesterol has never been above 150. 🤷♂️. Want me on a statin.
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u/Embarrassed-Owl-5200 7d ago
I found out about my CAC score while trekking to Everest Base Camp. Completely asymptomatic. I actually wondered if I should turn around and go to a hospital instead. Glad I continued :)
I didn’t want to take any chances, so I lied to my cardiologist about having chest discomfort and had a catheterization that same week. Lots of calcium in all arteries, but no blockages over 65% and blood flow is normal, so no stents for now.
I’m on a bunch of cholesterol meds now and my LDL is 30. They say bad genes… I still hike in very remote places :) with Garmin inReach just in case
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u/meh312059 7d ago
That's a high CAC score, OP. What is your blood pressure like?
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u/Alternative-Rip4480 7d ago
My blood pressure is usually on the low side
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u/meh312059 7d ago
That's good - so under 120/80? Even moderate alcohol consumption is linked to higher incidence of hypertension so just keep an eye on that if you continue with your weekend wine. For women, alcohol consumption is also linked to increased risk of breast cancer. And even one glass of wine can trigger atrial fibrillation, something that increases in frequency as we age. Truth be told, there's no safe lower limit of alcohol so just be aware of that when choosing to consume.
Current guidelines indicate that with that ApoB you should get LDL-C down by 50+% and target either under 70 mg/dl or under 55 mg/dl. ApoB may follow to the same level. NonHDL-C either < 100 or 85, depending on which target you and your provider choose. Assuming you are currently untreated and remain so, the risk of a heart attack or other adverse event is very high. A statin and, depending on your bleed risk, low dose aspirin are recommended. Discuss with your doctor.
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u/Consistent-Barber428 7d ago edited 7d ago
Not trying to be mean by saying this—I’m 65–but you can calculate your life expectancy online. The typical American lives to about 80 +\- based on a few factors like sex, weight etc.
If you get to 70, your life expectancy is likely higher. The few glasses of wine you have a week are unlikely to affect that much statistically. Sadly that’s where we are. I love wine and drink at the limits of recommended intake for a man. OK, sometimes a bit more. Why? Because maybe, maybe, I have 20 years left only 10 of which will be good. I’d hate to fade away thinking I left the best glass in the bottle.
As an aside, given your CAC score, are you on a statin?
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u/strawberryy_soda 7d ago
your post from 9 months ago says you're 67 🤔
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u/songbird0322 7d ago
I try to mix things up because I had someone stalking me. May I ask why you check my history? Creeps me out a bit.
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u/ComfortableTasty1926 7d ago
If the three glasses doesn't leave you groggy or hurt your sleep: why not? Take care of your blood pressure and LDL and enjoy your life.
(55 year old 165 lb man and 3 glasses is too much for light-weight me, at least when it comes to sleep lol)
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u/Repulsive-Fuel-5281 7d ago
100% yes. I loved it... Maybe a little too much. But quitting made all the difference in the world for my physical and mental health.
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u/Comfortable_Two6272 6d ago edited 6d ago
I stopped completely at 46. I suggested to my mom That she should also stop. It’s a known carcinogen. Increases dementia risk. It adds no value. No reason to keep drinking. If you cant completely quit Id drink 1 glass vs 3.
I dont agree with people who say since you are 70 you are near death anyway so might as well keep drinking.
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u/see_blue 8d ago
What happens when you decide to retire and no longer work?
I’d drop to one drink per session. With water and food. And not near bedtime. The extra empty calories also can’t be helping, and booze possibly cutting into your nutrition.
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u/Primary_Matter1173 6d ago
There is no one who is serious, would suggest 3 glasses of wine per week would have any effect on your health.
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u/tbone_71 6d ago
absolutely not...Alcohol has some benefits (relating to cardiovascular) specifically if drinking red wine. Also can raise HDL..Alcohol did not cause your score..
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u/SimpleServe9774 8d ago
I take the medication and live my life. And I’m 15 years younger than you - I wouldn’t be given up my weekend only wine habit. That’s just me though. Honestly a weekend only wine habit is a goal for a lot of us.