The Truth About the Health Benefits of Alcohol

Although it has been widely believed for decades that there are health benefits linked with moderate amounts of alcohol consumption, not everyone who drinks experiences health benefits from it. According to the largest study evaluating the relationship between alcohol use and chronic disease, which included over 1 billion people across the world, the safety and potential benefits of drinking alcohol depend largely on your age. Specifically, this groundbreaking study found that there are no health benefits of drinking among those who are under the age of 40. This younger group is not only susceptible to the health risks and harms related to alcohol use (including motor vehicle accidents, injuries, and suicides related to drinking), but alcohol consumption did not benefit their health or reduce their risk of chronic diseases.

What about those who are over the age of 40?

• People who are over 40 may see health benefits from alcohol use, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes.
• Reduced risks of these chronic diseases were observed among people without underlying health conditions.
• These benefits are linked with the use of a limited quantity of alcohol (i.e., no more than one to two standard drinks per day).

What should people who drink keep in mind to stay in the “healthy” zone?

• The potential health benefits of drinking small to moderate quantities of alcohol for certain people not only vanish if a person who is drinking moderately transitions to heavy drinking, but they are replaced with various potential health risks.
• Health risks for those who drink heavily can include high blood pressure, liver disease, and the development of addiction.
• The limited quantities of alcohol use that may be linked to health benefits for certain people over 40 are “daily” guidelines and do not apply cumulatively (i.e., “saving up” four days’ worth of daily drinks and having them all on one day is considered heavy drinking—with potential health risks rather than benefits).

If you or someone you know drinks alcohol, it is important to bring intention to the quantity that you consume, with knowledge of what is considered heavy or risky alcohol use.

How much is too much?

• Consuming more than three drinks in one day for women, or more than four for men, is considered heavy drinking.

• Problematic drinking is defined not only by the quantity of alcohol a person consumes, but also by one’s ability to control their use of alcohol.
• When a person is losing control over their drinking, they may frequently drink more than they planned to; make rules for themselves about how much or how often they will drink but have trouble keeping them; experience withdrawal symptoms when the effects of alcohol wear off; have problems in important relationships or in meeting responsibilities because of their drinking; experience cravings; and/or find themselves continuing to drink despite some of these problems.

If you or someone you care about has trouble controlling their alcohol use, consult a professional. I cover this topic in more depth in my book, Addiction: What Everyone Needs to Know, and on my podcast.