Alcohol consumption has no meaningful health benefits.
A very comprehensive analysis of multiple national population-based surveys in the US found that alcohol consumption was clearly associated with increased mortality and morbidity (illness) risks. In fact, the authors of the paper, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, stated the following powerful conclusion in their discussion section of the manuscript: “There was no protective net effect of alcohol observed at any level of alcohol consumption.” The authors also concluded that higher alcohol consumption was associated with progressively increased risks of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and injury. I emphasize in my book Optimized, Chapter 6, how there has been marked swinging of the pendulum regarding the benefits vs. drawbacks of alcohol consumption coming from the healthcare space. I recall in my residency training being told by my physician educators and mentors that there was likely some benefit to modest alcohol consumption. There were many theoretical explanations given for this assumption— alcohol tended to make people feel less stress and helped with relaxation, and also frequent references to the “French paradox”— how people in France “drink so much wine” and yet were healthy and lived long lives. This story was perpetuated in the media and, not unexpectedly, led to a dramatic increase in the consumption of red wine. As a physician dedicated to lifelong learning, there are times when we must recognize that historical information may not have been accurate, and we need to embrace new findings to update our knowledge, and provide the best recommendations to our patients, as well as our friends, families, and loved ones. This well designed study, and the results unearthed, is a prime example.
A very important follow-up question is the following: how long will it take this important information to get into the recommendations from healthcare providers and organizations? Even the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism continues to define “excessive” alcohol consumption by the following:
For women—4 or more drinks on any day or 8 or more per week
For men—5 or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week
These definitions have been around for decades! I recall earlier in my career thinking, “14 drinks a week seems like a lot” when I was counseling my male patients about their alcohol consumption. Yet these were the guidelines we, as physicians, were encouraged to reference.
One last consideration— take a look at this interesting resource I found while researching for this post: variations in recommended alcohol consumption limits by country. Perhaps those in the US should be looking to their neighbors to the north for guidance on this issue!
