back to article Drinking alcohol wards off asthma

Yet more splendid news for that substantial proportion of Reg readers who are familiar with the view through the bottom of a glass: Scientists have discovered that drinking booze prevents one from developing asthma. The new research is to be announced today at the European Respiratory Society's Annual Congress in Amsterdam, …

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  1. Thomas 4
    Pint

    Funny

    Mankind spent ages searching for the Elixir of Life, only to find it was in the pub all along.

    1. Graham Marsden
      Pint

      @Thomas 4

      Erm, you might want to check the origin and meaning of Akvavit, Uisge Baugh, Vodka, Aqua Vitae...

  2. big_Jim
    Pint

    Homer

    Alcohol, the cause and solution to all of life's problems.

    1. L1feless

      Been saying this for years

      Alcohol and other drugs should not in any way be deemed illegal or be shunned by governments in an effort to save money in the healthcare system. Instead the governments should be introducing regulations surrounding them and putting some of the revenues from those drugs/ substances back into the healthcare system.

  3. Andrew Moore

    Interestingly...

    ...I'm currently reading a book called 'Beer is proof that god loves us'

  4. Steve Lonie
    Pint

    Hear Hear..

    for beer!

  5. Chazmon
    Pint

    Now is it the alcohol or the penchant for hanging around in grimy drinking holes which has built up the resistance to asthma?

    Either way research time well spent

    1. Shakje
      Pint

      Shockingly

      it's from building up a resistance via second-hand smoke. I fear for the next generation.

  6. LuMan
    Pint

    Brilliant!!

    Now we just need a report saying that booze makes you drive better and we've hit Utopia!!

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      Pint

      unforschunatly...

      then youll jet arrested.. awww shucks

    2. atomic jam
      Stop

      Beer Goggles

      You've hit utopia because you failed to see the stop sign :P

  7. Naughtyhorse
    Trollface

    lol lewis you old wag!

    Wasnt there a flame icon missing from that article?

    Just guessing here, but i doubt you came up with the line about reducing duty on booze while patiently waiting with a sick child (could be asthma - i developed it when i was a child.... when i didnt drink booze, come to think of it! damnit you are onto something here) at an A&E department at say 3:00a.m. one sunday morning.

    Keep up the good work.

  8. Eddie 4
    Thumb Down

    What are the chances..?

    I drink plenty & have asthma - the gods are against me

  9. Jolyon

    Sounds like a wheeze

    Which brewery will be first to market with bronchiale?

  10. robin48gx

    High rates of Asthma in Children

    Maybe that's why children get asthma so much.

    Maybe we should give them beer like they used to hand out milk

  11. Usually Right or Wrong
    Happy

    Chance for UK Ltd to make money

    By putting booze on prescription, for all those health giving reasons, government could get £7.40 for a bottle of beer, just like some London pubs.

    1. Captain TickTock
      Pint

      Prescription Beer

      By the bottle, by the case - same price!

    2. Winty
      Pint

      I'm all for beer on prescription....mind you prescriptions here in Scotland are free :)

  12. Just Thinking

    Maybe they just don't notice?

    I believe it quite common for mild asthma sufferers to have attacks in the small hours. Maybe after a skin-full it just doesn't wake you up?

  13. ratfox
    Pint

    I'll drink to that!

    Cheers!

  14. Tzael
    Pint

    I was wondering why my asthma cleared up after I left home as a teenager...

  15. thesykes
    Pint

    That reminds me...

    I must call and get some more medicine tonight, as I drank the last dose in the fridge, last night.

    Thanks, El Reg, for helping me take care of my health.

  16. Captain TickTock
    Childcatcher

    That old wheeze...

    Does it help when you already have asthma?

    Should we get our kids started on the booze earlier?

    Are alcopops really such a bad idea?

    This could run and run

  17. This post has been deleted by its author

  18. Sirius365
    Pint

    Not that I need an excuse

    I'm off to the pub! now I will liken it to going to the gym.

  19. Nanners

    So says

    The institute for alcohol advancement. They are really trying hard to keep people from discovering the blessings of marijuana. Stop killing yourselves, smoke cannabis.

    1. James Micallef Silver badge
      Pint

      No reason not to do both :)

      Bob Marley icon?

      1. maclovinz

        Well...

        "No reason not to do both :)"

        Well, yeah liver and kidney disease to name two....which weed doesn't have any affect on.

        Just saying, and I drink, er, a "couple" every now and then....but weed's definitely on the top of my list.

    2. Cowardly Animosity

      Cannabis is a wonderful thing, but I don't think I'd advise asthma sufferers to smoke.

  20. disgruntled yank

    alternative explanation

    Perhaps the boozers build up lung capacity because of the frequent invitations to blow into the bag?

  21. Mephistro

    Could be a case of "correlation!=causation"

    Imagine two identical twins, one of them having a tendency to asthma, the other not. The twin with the tendency would probably have another symptoms, like a difficulty to breath in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces. That would prevent that twin from go to the places where he could 'learn to drink'.

    Or, imagine another pair of twins, both with the same tendency to asthma. One of them is the shy kind, doesn't get out a lot, and as a consequence breathes more acari-laden air. The other one stays so little at home that the acari don't affect him.

    Seriously, I think that this study needs lots of verification + complementary studies before being feed to the masses. :-)

  22. James Micallef Silver badge
    Coat

    Amsterdam

    "European Respiratory Society's Annual Congress in Amsterdam"

    gone for a smoke?

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I just surveyed 12 people here

    none of them have asthma, all are regulary drinkers......proof beyond doubt!!

    our only asthmatic in the office is a tea totaller (accounts Dept) .

    I claim more beer vouchers to continue my research in the Wood Street Bar later!!

  24. jnewco81
    Pint

    Well

    It can't be enjoyed as part of a calorie controlled diet.

    Or something.

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    what about a more direct correlation?

    Perhaps drinking will relax your respiratory tract as a whole (larinx, pharinx, glottis, you name it) so you don't give asthma a chance to manifest, because you are so relaxed that any constraint caused by swelling is countered by the relaxation.

    Well, who cares, I'm off to relax my larinx right now!

  26. Zippy the Pinhead
    Happy

    Alcohol cures asthma

    After the weekend I had, I shouldn't have asthma for at least 3 years then!

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    So I can tell my doctor....

    that I drink for health reasons!?!

    AWESOME!!!!!!!! I'm off to the corner respiratory clinic for my medication!!! If I buy more than a couple thousand $ worth I can write it off on my taxes!!

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Breasts too

    Regular and moderate Alcohol consumption has been known to be beneficial for various ailments for years, just not in excess; even though it may have been enjoyable, until the hangover later tells you it wasn't such a good idea.

    Apart from Breasts being fascinating, I've read that Breast fed babies are less likely to develop asthma and various other ailments because the mother passes across various stuff in her Breast Milk which helps prevent them. Obviously it helps if the mother ate plenty of good food e.g. minimal manufactured food, minimal grains, no unfermented Soya, minimal vegetable oils and margarine, and did consume enough animal flesh and animal fats; yes, meat is not optional despite Vegan dogma!

    See http://www.westonaprice.org/ and get clued up on what you consume.

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