April 3, 2023 – A brand new study shows that light to moderate alcohol consumption has no health advantages, despite widespread belief that a glass or two of alcohol will be good to your health.
Scientists on the University of Victoria in Canada examined 107 studies that examined the health of greater than 4.8 million people. This is in response to the JAMA network openedThe researchers concluded that the chance of death was no lower amongst moderate drinkers than amongst non-drinkers.
“Low levels of alcohol consumption were not associated with protection against death from any cause,” the study concluded.
The study also found that there was a “significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality” amongst women who consumed 25 grams or more of alcohol per day and men who drank 45 grams or more per day.
How many drinks is that?
In the United States CDC defines a regular drink as a drink containing about 14 grams of alcohol. This amount is often present in 12 ounces of 5% alcohol beer, 8 ounces of seven% alcohol malt beer, 5 ounces of 12% alcohol wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled alcohol or 40-proof spirits, similar to gin, rum, vodka, or whiskey.
Tim Stockwell, lead researcher, said NBC News that the evidence for the health advantages of alcohol is “increasingly weaker,” adding: “We just have to be very skeptical of any scientific evidence or scientific studies that suggest health benefits.”
Some previous research said that folks who drink moderately are less prone to die from heart disease and other health problems than heavy drinkers or teetotalers.
However, recent research has shown that drinking large amounts of alcohol poses health risks. At the start of the 12 months World Health Organization said that “there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption that will not affect health.”