Study Finds No Benefits Of Moderate Drinking
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No, Moderate Drinking Does Not Boost Longevity
A recent study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs has found that the supposed “health benefits” of alcohol consumption may be wrong. Authors of the study warn that these misconceptions have likely “significantly impacted the global disease burden and safety guidelines for alcohol consumption.”
“Alcohol is a very important substance in our society, so it’s important to get it right when it comes to the risks that can come from drinking. Even though it’s a legal substance and many people enjoy it, it’s also a leading cause of preventable death and disability,” said senior study author Timothy Naimi, director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Abuse Research.
For the last several decades, the prevailing notion has been that drinking moderately (four or five alcoholic drinks a week for adults) has some health benefits and may even be associated with longer lifespans. The authors of this groundbreaking study examined 107 published studies on alcohol use and health and found that many of those included a key methodological error, one that seriously undermined their conclusions.
They argue that these studies were often “low-quality” and often distorted the perceived risks of moderate drinking. After adjusting for what researchers called “key study characteristics,” the benefits of moderate drinking that the previous studies claimed had vanished.
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The Link Between Alcohol Consumption And Mortality Risk
The study conducted by Naimi and colleagues was not the first to determine the lack of relationship between alcohol and longevity. An early 2023 study, published by many of the same authors, found no evidence that moderate alcohol consumption reduces mortality risk. Critics of the study, particularly those in the alcohol industry, claimed the study was “influenced by low-quality research.”
“If you look at the weakest studies, that’s where you see health benefits,” said lead researcher Tim Stockwell, a scientist with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria.
In response to such criticism, this new research set out to analyze high-quality studies and assess flaws in previous studies that linked moderate alcohol consumption to health benefits.
This new research examined 107 published studies that followed the lives of over 4.8 million participants from a diverse range of ages and backgrounds. Of the 4.8 million participants, 425,564 deaths were recorded, and individuals with illnesses or “problematic drinking” were excluded.
Researchers defined moderate drinking as 1 to 14 drinks per week, which equated to roughly 1.30 to 35 grams of ethanol daily. Utilizing a method known as a mixed linear regression model, researchers were able to successfully evaluate the risks associated with moderate alcohol use.
Moderate Alcohol Use Does Not Lower Death Risk
According to Naimi and colleagues, studies that were deemed to be “high quality” were those that focused on individuals 55 and under who had no history of problematic drinking and who had been followed up with later in life.
“Most observational studies don’t enroll people until later in life. People who are still drinking into their older age tend to be very healthy, and those who have developed alcohol problems or other health issues are not included,” Naimi noted. “This leads to a biased sample and inaccurate conclusions.”
These studies found that moderate drinkers appeared to have virtually similar estimated mortality risks as those who abstained from alcohol. This means that alcohol consumption, even when done in moderation, appears to have no health benefits.
Moderate Alcohol Consumption Risks
While there may be no proven health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, there are known risks.
Early in 2023, the World Health Organization made a statement declaring that “when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.” Additionally, the organization claimed that of the 3 million deaths that occur annually due to alcohol, over half are due to chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Drinking alcohol, even when done in moderation, can have a host of negative effects on both the brain and body. Some of the known health risks of moderate alcohol consumption include:
- Weight gain
- Increased risk of breast cancer
- Increased risk of colorectal cancer
- Strokes caused by bleeding
- Birth defects – fetal alcohol effect (FAE) and low birth weight
- Medication interactions – including non-prescription drugs
- Digestive issues
- Accidents while intoxicated like drunk driving or falls
The bottom line is that alcohol has the potential to cause addiction, which can become severe and even life-threatening.
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Is Going Alcohol Free The Answer?
As our understanding of the health risks of alcohol consumption changes, so too should our lifestyles. More and more experts are advocating for a sober lifestyle, touting the many benefits of removing alcohol from your life.
Limiting, or removing, alcohol from your life can have many health benefits. Some of these include:
- Improved gut health
- Brighter and clearer skin
- Better sleep
- Weight loss
- Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease
For individuals who may be living with an alcohol addiction, quitting can seem like an impossible task. Fortunately, there is help available at every step of the way for those who need it.
To get started on your journey to an alcohol-free life, contact a treatment provider today to learn more about treatment options available to you.
