No, Moderate Drinking Isnt Good For Your Health

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Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol each day does not protect against death from heart disease or prolong life as previously thought, according to a comprehensive new analysis of alcohol research.

The review, which examines existing research on the health and alcohol consumption of nearly 5 million people, is one of the largest studies to challenge the common belief that wine or other alcoholic beverages are good for health. Last year, British scientists studied the genetic and medical data of nearly 400,000 people and concluded that even low alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of contracting the disease.

The new study, to be presented Friday at the JAMA Network Open, also found that drinking relatively small amounts of alcohol — 25 grams (less than 1 ounce) per day for women and 45 grams (about 1.5 ounces) per day or more - men are actually at greater risk of dying.

In the United States, a standard drink (5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits) usually contains about 14 grams of alcohol.

"This study shatters the hopes of many people that moderate alcohol use is healthy," said psychiatrist and addiction expert Robert Dupont, who served as the first director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

"The basic message is that less alcohol is better for your health," says Tim Naimi, who led the study and is director of the Canadian Institute for Research on Substance Use and professor of health and society. Politics from Victoria University. "And you can say: drink less, live more."

The belief that drinking alcohol every day is good for your health began in the 1980s, when researchers discovered the "French paradox," the belief that lower rates of cardiovascular disease in men in France were associated with daily wine consumption. Although subsequent analysis revealed flaws in the study, the idea that moderate alcohol consumption improves health has been widely accepted. Most research into the health effects of alcohol has been funded by the alcohol industry. A recent report revealed that 13,500 studies were funded directly or indirectly by industry.

"It's often thought that wine is something special, that the alcohol in it has magical properties," says Tim Stockwell, professor of psychology at the University of Victoria. “Three decades ago it was a publicity stunt for viticulture. The role of alcohol as a preservative in wine is now disputed and the evidence is inconclusive.

Even moderate alcohol consumption is harmful. Non-alcoholic beer can help you reduce your consumption.

Finding biases in alcohol research

The new review, called a "meta-analysis," looked at 107 observational studies involving more than 4.8 million people. The study notes that previous estimates of the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption on the risk of death from "all causes," meaning everything including heart disease, cancer, infections and car accidents, have been "significantly" biased by flaws in study design.

Previous studies have not adjusted for many factors that can affect results, such as age, gender, economic status and lifestyle, such as exercise, smoking and diet. By using statistical software, researchers essentially eliminate bias by adjusting for various factors that could confound the study. Subsequently, they found no significant reduction in the risk of death from any cause in moderate drinkers.

"We concluded that these were bad studies," says Stockwell, former director of the Canadian Institute for Research on Substance Use. "There was no perfect study. They were open to bias in many ways."

The new analysis points out that previous studies have shown what is scientifically known as a "J"-shaped distribution of outcomes, showing that the lowest rates of heart attacks occur among light and moderate drinkers, while lower rates are highest in extreme cases occur. - those who drink at all, do not consume alcohol or have a very high level.

However, the authors pointed out that these results were biased towards light and moderate drinkers, as light and moderate drinkers compared to non-drinkers were generally healthier than non-drinkers. A range of health indicators including dental hygiene, physical activity, diet, weight and income.

Another problem is that people cannot drink alcohol due to health issues, leading to research findings that falsely suggest that abstinence from alcohol is less beneficial than drinking alcohol. The study argues that previous studies failed to control for this bias because they failed to exclude smokers or former drinkers, many of whom had quit or quit for health reasons.

"These teetotalers are often older people who have given up alcohol because they are in poor health," Stockwell said. "Being able to drink is a sign that you are still healthy, not the cause. There are many ways these studies produce false results that distort whether alcohol is good for you.

The results were criticized by a Liquor Council spokesman, who pointed out that the studies reviewed mainly showed a "J-curve" benefit for light and moderate drinkers, rather than broader results that eliminated biases from various studies . : .

"The conclusion of this study is not supported by the data presented in it," said Amanda Berger, vice president of science and health at the Council, which represents major producers and retailers of distilled spirits. "The authors' results show a 'J-shaped' relationship between alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality, suggesting that moderate drinkers live longer than non-drinkers."

How reducing alcohol consumption can reduce depression and anxiety

Bad news for alcohol lovers

Stockwell admits the study results won't be good news for those who enjoy their daily drinks without anxiety.

"It's controversial because people like to drink," Stockwell said. “It's our favorite recreational drug. We use it for fun and relaxation and the last thing we want to hear is any damage done. ...It's comforting to think that drinking alcohol is good for your health, but unfortunately it's based on bad science."

The latest research is another part of a growing consensus that challenges the long-held belief that moderate alcohol consumption promotes health, the authors say. For example, a January 2022 analysis note from the World Heart Federation noted that "contrary to popular belief, alcohol is not good for the heart" and added that any level of alcohol consumption can be harmful to a healthy lifestyle.

The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends that adults limit alcohol consumption to two or more drinks per day for men and one drink or less per day for women, adding that "drinking less is better for health than drinking more" . expectant women. Female abstinence.

The guidelines also warn that drinking even within the recommended limits can increase the overall risk of death from several causes, including certain cancers and heart disease, even at the low level of one drink per day.

Donald Hensrud, associate professor of nutrition and preventive medicine at the Mayo Clinic, who was not involved in the study, said there is "a growing body of evidence" that even moderate alcohol consumption is not beneficial to the health and longevity of most people. people don't. people.

"This analysis is based on that," he said. "When my patients ask me questions about alcohol, I discuss the evidence with them, advise them to reduce their consumption and discuss practical ways to do this, such as reducing the number of days they drink alcohol and more non-alcoholic to eat food Drinks.

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