Q: How does alcohol abuse cause high blood pressure?
A: While one to two drinks a day may help lower pressure, more than that can cause problems. Heavy drinking interferes with the blood flow to and from the heart. It puts a greater burden on the heart. Not only does heavy drinking increase the risk of getting high blood pressure, it also makes hypertension more difficult to control.
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MayoClinic.com – Alcohol and High Blood Pressure
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Alcohol is a sugar. Sugar/insulin is a major contributor to hypertension. We will all be reading more and more about this as the sugar/insulin relationship continues to come to light.
Is it normal that hypertension readings throughout the day go up and down from 144/95 to 117/72 and can change substantially minutes apart?
Agree with D. Carestia on the blood sugar spike and associated connection between insulin resistance and hypertension, but alcohol beyond an occasional drink acts as a vasoCONSTRICTOR and causes the blood vessels to constrict thereby increasing BP. It, however will not damage the endothelium like meat, dairy and oil do. An occasional drink is fine, but I would be more concerned about the damage done by the western diet full of meat, dairy and oils.
Dear Jason, Are you including Olive Oil? you really cannot lump all oils as bad.
Yes, olive oil included. All oils have extremely low nutrient value. Olive oil is 18% saturated fat and every bit as aggressive at clogging arteries as butter. I would encourage you to listen to the YouTube presentation by Dr. Esselstyn entitled “Make yourself heart attack proof”
Agreed. That’s why I use Crisco Butter flavor spray. Zero grams of total fat (saturated,trans,polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated all 0% fat), zero% cholesterol, zero% sodium, plus it tastes good, like butter.
And by the way, when I drink heavily ( a lot of beers), my blood pressure goes down! My brother-in-law is the same way and I’m sure a lot of other people are the same way. Cheers!
alcohol is not a sugar . . . the body has no natural means to rectify its control except to excrete it unlike real sugar which is normally regulated by Insulin. Alcohol is not a food, the body treats it like a poison or any drug, but in moderation (very small amounts it usually is inert in its effect). Alcohol use depletes the body of magnesium which helps to control BP.