The Science of Drinking: How Alcohol Affects Your Body and Mind

by Amitava Dasgupta

Scientific research has clearly established that drinking in moderation has many health benefits, including maintaining a healthy heart. Yet, many people do not know that drinking red wine protects the heart more than white wine, while beer, margaritas, and hard liquor are less effective in providing such protection. And while alcoholism is a serious problem requiring medical and psychological treatment, for those who are not addicted, drinking alcohol is not necessarily a bad habit. The problem is to distinguish between drinking sensibly and drinking insensibly. Dasgupta clearly outlines what constitutes healthy drinking and its attendant health benefits, offers advice on how to drink responsibly, and provides insight into just how alcohol works on the brain and the body. After reading this book, readers will enjoy their next drink with a fuller and safer understanding of why they're enjoying it.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science

346 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 16, 2011

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry. Boring.

Here's what this book is. It's a book that will fulfill the need of high school students needing a reference book for their report on alcohol. You know, when the teacher requires that an actual book needs to be in evidence, not just internet research. (And why do those teachers think this needs to be a requirement?)

It's a book for laymen. If you have any training in either science or health services, it will be too simple for you. It exists as a compendium of statistics and rehashing of real studies.

If you have regular access to scientific journals, ignore this book. If you don't, well, I hope your high school report goes well.

[Jacob Kiper · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want an entertaining read, this is NOT it. If you are interested in mostly data and science that reads much like a textbook... this is what you want. Tons of good info.

[grey1066 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very knowledgeable book with some extremely choppy editing. The author certainly knows and is qualified to write about his subject, making the chapters on the actual neurobiology of addiction fascinating. However, these vary with chapters written "down" to the reader on such a level as to be almost insulting (along the lines of "a cow goes moo"). I had to give it three stars because I feel that, in some ways, the book cannot make up it's mind as to what it wants to be: the "general" chapters are condescending and repetitive, the "technical" chapters are very hard science which will only appeal to specialist readers. All in all, this makes a valuable reference guide for those who have made some progress in addiction studies as long as you skip the chapters which explain that being drunk means you've consumed too much alcohol ("the cow goes moo!)

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, this book pretty much said what I already knew. Too much drinking is bad for you. But I did appreciate a comment that the author made that stuck with me. He basically says, one glass of wine is medicine, two are poison. Also, the scientific evidence that the author included was a bit too dry for me. It was way more than I really wanted to know about alcohol. This would be fun to read with a glass of wine though. It would make it way more palatable. Bottoms up!

[Cat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dissapointing. Insufficient. Expected better coverage from s scientist who is an expert in toxicology.