Many people believe that having a small amount of alcohol each day is harmless, or even good for the heart. However, a large new international study suggests that this may not be true when it comes to blood pressure.
The researchers found that even light drinking can raise blood pressure, while reducing alcohol or stopping drinking completely may help lower it. The findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) and were also presented at a major cardiology conference in Germany.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, affects millions of people around the world. It often develops without any obvious symptoms, which is why it is sometimes called the ‘silent killer.’
If it is not treated, it can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, and other serious health problems. Doctors have long advised people with high blood pressure to limit alcohol, but until now there has been less evidence about how small amounts of drinking affect blood pressure, especially in women.
The new research was led by Dr. Takahiro Suzuki from St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo. The team examined almost 360,000 health check-up records collected from more than 58,000 Japanese adults between 2012 and 2024.
Instead of simply comparing people who drank with those who did not, the researchers followed changes over time to see what happened when people started drinking or stopped drinking.
The participants were divided into two main groups. One group already drank alcohol regularly, while the other group did not drink. The researchers then measured how each person’s blood pressure changed after they either gave up alcohol or began drinking.
The results showed a clear pattern. People who stopped drinking experienced lower blood pressure. Among women who had been drinking about one to two alcoholic drinks each day, the average systolic blood pressure dropped by about 0.78 mmHg and the average diastolic pressure fell by about 1.14 mmHg.
Men also benefited. Their systolic blood pressure fell by about 1.03 mmHg, while their diastolic blood pressure dropped by about 1.62 mmHg.
The opposite happened when people who had not been drinking began consuming alcohol. Their blood pressure increased over time. This was seen in both men and women, suggesting that alcohol itself was linked to the rise in blood pressure.
The researchers also found that the type of alcoholic drink did not appear to make a difference. Whether people drank beer, wine, or spirits, the important factor was how much alcohol they consumed rather than the type of drink.
Dr. Suzuki said the findings suggest that when it comes to blood pressure, drinking less is better, and not drinking at all may provide the greatest benefit.
Dr. Harlan Krumholz, Editor-in-Chief of JACC, said the results challenge the long-standing belief that small amounts of alcohol are completely harmless. He explained that cutting back on alcohol could become an important way to prevent or manage high blood pressure.
The researchers noted several limitations. This was an observational study, so it cannot prove with complete certainty that alcohol directly caused the changes in blood pressure.
The participants also reported their own drinking habits, which may not always have been perfectly accurate. In addition, most participants were Japanese adults living in urban areas, so future studies in other populations will help confirm whether the findings apply worldwide.
Even with these limitations, the study adds strong evidence that reducing alcohol intake may improve heart health. Small reductions in blood pressure across large numbers of people can prevent many heart attacks and strokes.
If you drink alcohol regularly, talking with your doctor about whether reducing your intake is appropriate could be a simple step toward protecting your heart and blood vessels.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about How to eat your way to healthy blood pressure and results showing that Modified traditional Chinese cuisine can lower blood pressure.
The study is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).
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