Even Moderate Beer or Spirits Linked to Higher Death Risk
Graded Moderate — a large observational study of 340,924 adults over about 13 years, but drinking was self-reported and mostly measured only once.
- Design
- Prospective cohort study
- Participants
- 340,924
- Duration
- 13.4 years
- Funding
- National Science and Technology Major Project (China), National Natural…
Even light spirits drinking and moderate beer or cider drinking went with a higher death risk; light to moderate wine with a lower one.
Whether small amounts of alcohol do harm is still debated among researchers. A large British analysis suggests the type of drink may matter. People who drank spirits had a higher risk of dying, even at low amounts. For beer and cider, this showed up at moderate amounts. For low to moderate wine drinking, the risk was lower instead.
Researchers followed 340,924 adults in the UK Biobank, a large British health database, for 13.4 years on average. They compared everyone with people who drank no more than 20 grams of alcohol a week. Heavy drinkers, meaning over 40 grams a day for men and over 20 grams for women, had a 24 percent higher risk of death. Cancer stood out, including cancers of the head, neck and airways. Even moderate drinking was linked to a higher risk of dying from cancer.
The study cannot tell whether wine itself protects anyone. Participants reported their own drinking, mostly just once at the start. The researchers cannot rule out other differences between the groups. Most participants were White. And at heavy amounts, the risk of death from several cancers rose with every drink type, wine included.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.