This study correlated weekly alcohol consumption among 4,466 people of average age 76  to the size, structure and motion of various parts of the heart.
Researchers found that

• The more the consumption, the greater the subtle changes to the heart’s structure and function.
• Among men, drinking more than 14 alcoholic beverages weekly (heavy drinking) was linked with enlargement of the wall of the heart’s main pumping chamber (left ventricular mass).
• Among women, moderate drinkers had small reductions in heart function.

Scott Solomon, M.D.(Senior author of the study and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Brigham and Women's in Boston) added that, "women appear more susceptible than men to the cardiotoxic effects of alcohol, which might potentially contribute to a higher risk of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, for any given level of alcohol intake,"

“In spite of potential benefits of low alcohol intake, our findings highlight the possible hazards to cardiac structure and function by increased amounts of alcohol consumption in the elderly, particularly among women. This reinforces the U.S. recommendations stating that those who drink should do so with moderation,” said Alexandra Gonçalves, M.D., Ph.D.
(lead author of the study and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Brigham and Women’s in Boston.)
Moderate drinking is generally defined as two drinks a day (beer, wine or liquor) for men and one drink a day for women.

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