You’ve probably heard that a glass of wine a day is good for you.
This common belief, however, is based on flawed scientific research, as highlighted in a new report in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
For many years, various studies suggested that moderate drinkers live longer and have lower risks of heart disease and other chronic illnesses compared to those who don’t drink.
This led to the widespread notion that moderate alcohol consumption could be beneficial for health. However, not all studies agree, and new research explains why this belief may not be accurate.
Tim Stockwell, Ph.D., a scientist with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, points out that studies claiming moderate drinking is healthy often have significant design flaws.
The main issue is that these studies usually focus on older adults and fail to consider people’s drinking habits over their entire lifetime.
As a result, moderate drinkers are often compared to groups labeled as “abstainers” or “occasional drinkers,” which include older adults who have reduced or stopped drinking due to health problems.
This comparison makes moderate drinkers appear healthier than they actually are. Stockwell explains that this appearance is misleading.
In their analysis, Stockwell and his team reviewed 107 published studies that tracked people over time to examine the relationship between drinking habits and longevity.
Initially, the combined data suggested that light to moderate drinkers (those consuming between one drink per week and two per day) had a 14% lower risk of dying during the study period compared to abstainers.
However, when the researchers looked closer, they found a different story. The more reliable studies included younger participants (under 55 years old on average) and did not classify former and occasional drinkers as “abstainers.”
These studies showed no link between moderate drinking and longer life. It was only in the less reliable studies, which included older participants and did not differentiate between former drinkers and lifelong abstainers, that moderate drinking seemed to be associated with greater longevity.
Stockwell notes that the belief in the health benefits of moderate drinking dates back decades.
For instance, the “French paradox” popularized in the 1990s suggested that red wine explained why the French had lower rates of heart disease despite a diet high in fat. This idea contributed to the myth that alcohol, particularly wine, could be a health tonic.
In reality, Stockwell says, moderate drinking likely does not prolong life and may even pose health risks, such as an increased likelihood of developing certain cancers. This is why no major health organization has declared any level of alcohol consumption to be completely risk-free.
“There is simply no completely ‘safe’ level of drinking,” Stockwell concludes. The belief that moderate drinking is beneficial is not supported by high-quality scientific evidence. Instead, it is essential to recognize that any amount of alcohol carries potential health risks.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about the benefits of low-dose lithium supplements, and low calorie diets may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the best and worst foods for high blood pressure, and modified traditional Chinese cuisine can lower blood pressure.
The research findings can be found in Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Copyright © 2024 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
