Newer studies are also uncovering how alcohol may interfere facts about moderate drinking with the immune system and accelerate molecular signs of aging. When newer, larger studies account for these and other variables, the protective effect of alcohol tends to disappear. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Does moderate drinking cause cancer?
Alcohol consumption may also play a role in certain mental health conditions, like depression and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. There is also some evidence that genes influence how alcohol affects the cardiovascular system. An enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase helps metabolize alcohol.
Can a binge drinker moderate alcohol consumption?
Throughout the 10,000 or so years that humans have been drinking fermented beverages, they’ve also been arguing about their merits and demerits. The debate still simmers today, with a lively back-and-forth over whether alcohol is good for you or bad for you. Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients.
When acetaldehyde builds up in the body, it can damage cells throughout the digestive system and beyond. The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk for these health effects, including several types of cancer. When it comes to drinking alcohol and expecting a health benefit, moderation is the key.
Remember that drinking even a moderate amount of alcohol can have health risks. Learn more about the results of some large prospective cohort studies of alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease. Not everyone who likes to drink alcohol stops at just one.
Learn about different treatments for alcohol use disorder. Talk with a doctor or nurse if you’re having a hard time cutting back on your drinking. If you keep a lot of alcohol around, you may be tempted to go over the drinking limit you set for yourself when you’re at home. If you have a bad day or are feeling angry, don’t reach for a drink.
Get Your Blood Pressure Checked
Meanwhile, countries including Canada have moved to more cautious recommendations, advising no more than two drinks per week for all adults. Chen’s research has shown how alcohol affects people of East Asian descent who have a genetic variation, ALDH2, which interferes with their ability to metabolize acetaldehyde. These people — about 8% of the world’s population — often experience facial flushing and a rapid heartbeat after just one drink.
Effects of long-term alcohol use
If you currently drink no alcohol at all, do not start because of the health benefits. When trying to moderate alcohol intake over the course of an evening or a week, it helps to know how much alcohol is in each drink you consume. You might wonder if there’s a healthy way to drink, how much alcohol consumption is considered moderate, and how much is too much. In the U.S., 1 drink is usually considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of spirits (hard liquor such as gin or whiskey). 3 Each delivers about 12 to 14 grams of alcohol on average, but there is a wider range now that microbrews and wine are being produced with higher alcohol content. The active ingredient in alcoholic beverages, a simple molecule called ethanol, affects the body in many different ways.
- However, it is important to note that many studies making these claims are inconclusive.
- Because women metabolize alcohol differently than men, and tend to have smaller bodies, the same amount of alcohol can have a stronger effect for them.
- Newer studies are also uncovering how alcohol may interfere with the immune system and accelerate molecular signs of aging.
Health Risks
One variant of this enzyme, called alcohol dehydrogenase type 1C (ADH1C), comes in two “flavors.” One quickly breaks down alcohol, the other does it more slowly. Moderate drinkers who have two copies of the gene for the slow-acting enzyme are at much lower risk for cardiovascular disease than moderate drinkers who have two genes for the fast-acting enzyme. 44 Those with one gene for the slow-acting enzyme and one for the faster enzyme fall in between. When it comes to your health, drinking alcohol can be a balancing act. Expert opinions on safety and levels of alcohol consumption have generally varied over the years, with some studies even citing the potential benefits of an occasional cocktail or glass of wine. While some studies suggest that moderate drinking can benefit the heart, others haven’t found such a link.
Consequently, alcohol remains in a woman’s system longer and builds up faster. The threshold for safe alcohol consumption is closely linked to body weight. Explore how many people ages 18 to 25 engage in alcohol misuse in the United States and the impact it has. Learn how many people ages 12 to 20 engage in underage alcohol misuse in the United States and the impact it has. Alcohol use disorder, which has strongly been linked to poor health, can also start from a moderate drinking habit, he added. The conflict has been on display in recent months, with the release of assessments that will be used to shape the U.S.
For decades, research on the health effects of moderate drinking has been contradictory, with some studies saying that a little alcohol can be good for you while others suggest that it’s harmful. Given the complexity of alcohol’s effects on the body and the complexity of the people who drink it, blanket recommendations about alcohol are out of the question. Because each of us has unique personal and family histories, alcohol offers each person a different spectrum of benefits and risks.
The definition of moderate drinking is something of a balancing act. Moderate drinking sits at the point at which the health benefits of alcohol clearly outweigh the risks. Is a nightly glass of wine — or two, even — good for you?
- If you currently drink no alcohol at all, do not start because of the health benefits.
- Experts said it’s possible to undo the negative effects of moderate alcohol consumption, but this would depend on the damage and the person’s unique characteristics and habits.
- For a concrete cause and effect to be established, the research must be the gold standard randomized clinical trial.
- With so much data and so many variables, public health recommendations concerning alcohol differ around the world.
However, it is important to note that many studies making these claims are inconclusive. An Italian review of studies published in the European Journal of Epidemiology found that moderate wine and beer consumption reduced the risk of cardiovascular events, but spirits did not. Another study found that one component in red wine may protect the brain from stroke damage. Women usually have lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (AHD) than men.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans continued to recommend that men consume no more than two drinks per day and women no more than one. However, those guidelines also emphasize that people who don’t currently drink shouldn’t start. While ALDH2 is the most common inherited variation to affect how well someone can handle alcohol — and its’ long-term risks — it is not the only factor. Some people are already at higher risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease because of their genetics or other risky behaviors like tobacco use. He also explains that the potential benefits are poorly studied and that the possible long-term benefits are outweighed by the more immediate health problems caused by binge drinking. Consuming too much alcohol for too long can be damaging to health.
Scientists know that alcohol is carcinogenic, or cancer-causing. In the body, alcohol turns into a carcinogen called acetaldehyde. If acetaldehyde builds up in the body, it damages DNA and prevents cells from reproducing or repairing themselves. The social and psychological benefits of alcohol can’t be ignored. A drink before a meal can improve digestion or offer a soothing respite at the end of a stressful day; the occasional drink with friends can be a social tonic. These physical and social effects may also contribute to health and well-being.
