Best way to reduce high blood pressure? Quit drinking

By Stephen Beech

Going sober is the best way to reduce high blood pressure, according to new research.

Current health guidelines suggest women should drink no more than one alcoholic drink a day and men no more than two.

But the new Japanese study shows that even such "light-to-moderate" alcohol consumption is associated with increases in blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

Packing in the booze altogether – or just drinking less – may lead to "clinically meaningful" blood pressure reductions, according to the findings.

The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), shows that even slight changes in alcohol consumption can affect blood pressure.

Doctors say that boozing is a well-established contributor to elevated blood pressure, which is