Alcohol carries significant health risks and no benefits for young people, but some older people may benefit from drinking a small amount, according to the largest study of its kind.
The conclusion comes from the authors of the Global Burden of Diseases study, an ongoing project based at the University of Washington in Seattle that produces the most comprehensive data on the causes of disease and death in the world.
Four years ago, the study said even occasional drinking was harmful to health and suggested governments should advise people to abstain altogether.
But after a major new analysis of global data, the experts behind the study came to new conclusions. Young people face greater health risks from drinking alcohol than older people, they say. But they add that adults age 40 and older without underlying health problems may benefit from limited alcohol consumption, such as a small glass of red wine a day, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes.
Their findings, published in the Lancet, are the first to report alcohol risk by geographic region, age, gender and year. They suggest that global recommendations for alcohol consumption should be based on age and location, with the strictest guidelines for men aged 15-39, who are at greatest risk of harmful alcohol consumption globally.
“Our message is simple: young people shouldn’t drink, but older people can benefit from drinking small amounts,” said lead author Emmanuela Gakidou, MD, professor of health indicators at the University of Washington School of Medicine. . “While it may not be realistic to think that young adults will abstain from drinking, we feel it is important to communicate the latest evidence so that everyone can make informed decisions about their health.”
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A total of 1.34 billion people were estimated to have consumed harmful amounts of alcohol in 2020, according to the analysis of drinking habits in 204 countries.
The study, published in the Lancet, found that 59% of those drinking harmful amounts were aged 15-39 – people for whom alcohol has no health benefits and poses risks, including drink-related or car-related injuries accidents, suicides or murders. Three quarters of harmful drinkers are men.
The researchers looked at the risk of alcohol consumption on 22 health outcomes, including injuries, cardiovascular disease and cancer, using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2020.
Using this information, researchers have been able to estimate how much alcohol a person can drink before taking an excessive risk to their health compared to someone who does not drink alcohol.
They found that the level of alcohol that can be consumed without increasing health risks increases throughout life. Researchers believe a standard drink is a 100ml glass of red wine with 13% alcohol or a 375ml can or bottle of 3.5% beer.
They found that for men aged 15-39, the recommended amount of alcohol before ‘risking health loss’ was just 0.136 of a standard drink per day. For women of the same age, the “theoretical minimum exposure level” is 0.273 drinks – about a quarter of a standard drink per day.
For adults 40 and older without any underlying health problems, drinking a small amount of alcohol is associated with some health benefits, such as reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Among those aged 40-64, safe levels of alcohol consumption ranged from about half a standard drink per day to nearly two standard drinks. For those aged 65 or over, the risks of ‘health loss from alcohol consumption’ are reached after consuming just over three standard drinks per day.
But the average recommended alcohol intake for adults over the age of 40 remains low, peaking at 1.87 standard drinks per day. After that, the health risks increase with each drink, the Lancet reports.
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A separate study published in the journal PLOS Medicine on Thursday found that consuming seven or more units of alcohol per week was associated with higher levels of iron in the brain. Iron in the brain has been linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and is a potential mechanism for alcohol-related cognitive decline.
Dr Richard Piper, chief executive of Alcohol Change UK, said: “The new science of alcohol, based on hundreds of studies over the past 20 years, tells us very clearly that alcohol is very harmful to the human body in many ways. We didn’t know about it before and too many of us continue to drink as if this revolution in our knowledge never happened.
“If you care about your health, the best approach is not to drink at all. If you do decide to drink alcohol, listen to the UK’s Chief Medical Officers correctly and don’t exceed 14 units a week (about six pints of lager or a bottle and a half of wine), have at least three alcohol-free days a week and never exceed more than six units for one day.
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