A review of more than 7,200 studies, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, found no overall health benefit from alcohol at any level and higher risks above one drink a day.
A new analysis published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs concludes that drinking levels many Americans regard as moderate are linked to higher lifetime risks of premature death, disability, cancer and heart disease. Researchers from the United States and Canada reviewed more than 7,200 scientific articles on diseases and injuries associated with alcohol, then combined that evidence with large national health data sets and statistical models to estimate lifetime risk across a range of drinking levels. Study co-author Katherine Keyes of Columbia University said it offers the most comprehensive US estimates to date of alcohol-attributable mortality and morbidity.
The team reported no statistically significant protective effect on overall health at any level of consumption. They acknowledged that low intake may be associated with a lower risk of ischemic heart disease and stroke, but said those potential benefits were outweighed by alcohol's links to cancers of the mouth, esophagus and breast, as well as liver disease and injuries, even among people drinking seven drinks a week. Two drinks a day, a level often seen as socially moderate, was associated with a substantially higher risk of alcohol-attributable premature death, and drinking above one drink per day was linked to increased risk for both men and women, according to the researchers.
The authors say the findings add numerical detail to the latest US Dietary Guidelines, which advise Americans to limit alcoholic beverages without naming an amount. They stress that the figures describe risk across populations, not the likelihood that any one person will become ill, since genetics, lifestyle and drinking patterns vary. They also note that links with other conditions, such as pancreatic cancer, need further study. Lead author Kevin Shield of the University of Toronto said that risk begins at low levels and keeps rising with consumption. The details above are drawn from a summary of the study published by ScienceDaily, and readers with health concerns should consult a doctor.
