New Research Gives Us More Intel on the Real Risks on Moderate Drinking

Up until just a few years ago, a daily alcoholic drink seemed like a totally normal habit. A glass of wine with dinner, a beer after work, a cocktail as a nightcap...I know many people who held those rituals without much thought given to them.

And then, the pendulum swung. The demonization of alcohol? It's here. With emerging research about the health implications of alcohol consumption and the rise of things like social tonics (which are non-alcoholic beverages meant to provide a relaxing, 'buzzed' effect), people are seriously reevaluating their alcohol consumption.

We've all heard that alcohol can increase your risk of serious health issues, perhaps most notably cancer. But what we haven't had yet is a clear picture of what this really looks like. Is any amount of alcohol unsafe? Do you have to drink a lot for this effect to hold up? What about people who drank heavily for years and then cut out alcohol...are they still at risk?

A new study sheds some light on when exactly harmless drinking becomes harmful drinking. The TL;DR? That daily drink habit may not be the best practice. According to the study, which was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, two drinks a day (which is considered moderate consumption) is associated with a substantial increase in risk of premature death. A daily drink (or seven drinks per week) was associated with a minimally elevated risk for most conditions (such as cancer and heart disease), while the risk increased among those who consumed an average of 14 drinks a week (or two drinks a day).

These findings don't give us all the answers, but they provide a bit more clarity. Guidelines have only gotten more vague: Previously, U.S. dietary guidelines recommended a daily limit of two drinks a day for men and one for women. Now, they simply advise people to drink less.

But, according to the researchers behind this study: “Having a clearer threshold helps people better understand what level of drinking is associated with increased risk and make more informed decisions when drinking.”

The study also challenges some long-held beliefs that alcohol can offer protective health benefits (for example, a reduced risk of heart disease).

Drinking has become this black and white thing, and I don't think it needs to be that way. We know candy isn't great for us, right? But we understand that snacking on it once in a while can be okay. Similarly, this study points out that even moderate alcohol consumption carries risks, and those risks increase the more you drink.

This research provides some important context around alcohol. While the findings don't provide all the answers, they suggest limiting consumption to one drink a day (and make sure you're following the guidelines around how much alcohol is in one drink!). Now, is less better? Yeah, I think we can presume that a weekly glass of wine is better than a nightly one. But this research provides a concrete upper limit...and forces people who routinely have more than one drink a day a reason to take a good hard look at how the habit is affecting their long-term health.