Alcohol is a normal part of social life for many people. Some people enjoy an occasional drink at dinner or during celebrations, while others drink more regularly.
For decades, scientists have tried to understand how alcohol affects human health. There is little doubt that heavy drinking can seriously harm the body.
It can damage the liver, increase the risk of several types of cancer, raise blood pressure, and lead to heart disease and other health problems. However, the effects of low or moderate drinking have remained much more controversial.
Some earlier studies suggested that small amounts of alcohol, especially wine, might offer some protection against heart disease. Other studies have questioned this idea and argued that any amount of alcohol may carry risks.
A new study has now added more information to this debate. The findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session, known as ACC.26. The research suggests that different types of alcoholic drinks may not affect health in the same way.
The researchers analyzed information from more than 340,000 adults in the United Kingdom who participated in the UK Biobank project. The UK Biobank is one of the world’s largest long-term health studies.
It collects information about people’s lifestyles, medical histories, and health outcomes over many years. The participants in this alcohol study were followed for an average of more than 13 years.
At the beginning of the study, participants reported how much alcohol they usually drank and what types of drinks they preferred. The researchers then grouped them according to their alcohol intake.
A standard drink contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is about the same as a small glass of wine, a can of beer, or a shot of spirits. People who drank very little or not at all served as the comparison group.
The results confirmed something that scientists have seen repeatedly in earlier research. People who drank large amounts of alcohol had a much higher risk of dying.
Compared with people who rarely drank, heavy drinkers were 24 percent more likely to die from any cause, 36 percent more likely to die from cancer, and 14 percent more likely to die from heart disease.
The more surprising findings appeared when researchers looked at people who drank only small or moderate amounts. The type of alcohol they consumed seemed to matter.
People who drank wine in low or moderate amounts had a lower risk of death, particularly from heart disease, than people who did not drink at all. Moderate wine drinkers had a 21 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
The picture was different for people who preferred beer, cider, or spirits. Even small amounts of these drinks were linked to a higher risk of death compared with people who rarely drank. Low levels of these alcoholic drinks were associated with a 9 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease.
Scientists think several factors may explain these differences. One possibility is that wine, especially red wine, contains natural plant compounds called polyphenols and antioxidants. These substances may help protect blood vessels and reduce inflammation in the body. However, researchers believe that lifestyle habits may also play an important role.
People who drink wine are often more likely to consume it with meals and may follow healthier diets overall. They may also exercise more often, smoke less, and have other healthy habits that lower their risk of disease.
By contrast, beer, cider, and spirits are more often consumed outside of meals and may be linked to different lifestyle patterns that are less healthy.
The researchers tried to account for many factors that can influence health, including age, income, physical activity, and family history of disease. This makes the findings more reliable.
However, the study still has important limitations. Because it was an observational study, it cannot prove that one type of alcohol directly causes better or worse health outcomes. It only shows that certain drinking habits were linked with different levels of risk.
Another limitation is that alcohol consumption was measured only once at the beginning of the study. People’s drinking habits can change over time, and these changes were not captured. The participants in the UK Biobank also tend to be healthier than the general population, which means the findings may not apply equally to everyone.
Even with these limitations, the study is important because of its very large size and long follow-up period. It offers a more detailed look at the relationship between alcohol and health than many previous studies.
The findings support the idea that drinking less alcohol is generally better for health. They also suggest that when people do drink, the type of alcohol may make a difference.
At the same time, experts caution that nobody should start drinking alcohol in the hope of improving their health. Alcohol is not necessary for a healthy lifestyle, and even small amounts can be harmful for some people, especially those with certain medical conditions or increased risks of cancer.
Future studies, including clinical trials, will be needed to better understand these complex relationships and provide clearer advice about alcohol consumption.
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