Decoding safe limit of alcohol consumption for health

For decades, scientific studies suggested that consuming alcohol in moderate amounts was better than not drinking at all.

In 1924, a Johns Hopkins biologist named Raymond Pearl published a graph with a J-shaped curve.

Scientists now say that the older studies did not recognise that moderate drinkers, in general, have many healthy habits, such as: they tend to exercise, eat healthy, and are less likely to be obese.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS CONCLUSION?

So, the fact that moderate drinkers have a lower mortality rate isn't related to their drinking habits but their lifestyle in general.

If somebody drinks less, they are at a lower risk compared to that person who is a heavy drinker.

Risks of dying prematurely increase significantly for: Women - - Less than 2 standard drinks - Who drink 25 or more grams per day Men - - Who drink 45 or more grams per day - About 3 standard drinks

The 2020-2025 US Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults of legal drinking age should drink in moderation, or not drink at all.

ARE YOU DRINKING TOO MUCH?

If you have more than the recommended quantity of alcohol on any given day in a week and abstain on other days, it still counts as excessive and can cause damage to your body.

In the past, some studies have claimed that small amounts of alcohol, particularly red wine, is beneficial for your heart.

IS WINE BETTER FOR YOU? Experts now say that this is not correct.

The fact is, all alcohols, even when you are consuming them in small amounts, increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Alcohol is also linked to an abnormal heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation, which raises the risk of blood clots and stroke.

Research by the American Cancer Society showed that alcohol can cause many types of cancers: head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and other cancers.