3 Each delivers about 12 to 14 grams of alcohol on average, but there is a wider range now that microbrews and wine are being produced with higher alcohol content. The MM approach has been found most successful for those who have a problem with drinking but do not meet the criteria and have not been diagnosed with moderate or severe alcohol use disorder. Drinking also adds calories that can contribute to weight gain.

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It means on days when a person does drink, women do not have more than one drink and men do not have more than two drinks. Current CDC guidelines of no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks for men are likely to disappoint those who think any drinking is terrible and those who think moderate drinking improves longevity. More than four drinks daily appear to cause a fivefold increase in your risk of mouth and throat cancer, as well as an increase in your risk of breast, colon and liver cancer (58, 59, 61, 62). While alcohol intake and depression seem to increase the risk of one another simultaneously, alcohol abuse may be the stronger causal factor (20, 21, 22).

What is alcohol?

It’s possible that the fast-acting enzyme breaks down alcohol before it can have a beneficial effect on HDL and clotting factors. Interestingly, these differences in the ADH1C gene do not influence the risk of heart disease among people who don’t drink alcohol. This adds strong indirect evidence that alcohol itself reduces heart disease risk. The benefits of moderate drinking aren’t limited to the heart. In the Nurses’ Health Study, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, and other studies, gallstones 40, 41 and type 2 diabetes 32, 42, 43 were less likely to occur in moderate drinkers than in non-drinkers.

• In these studies, alcohol appears to have no effect on appetite, or to increase appetite 5.
• Several studies have grouped all levels of individual alcohol intake above 30g/day as ‘heavy’ drinkers 12, 38.

Abuse is disastrous for health

The definition of moderate drinking is something of a balancing act. Moderate drinking sits at the point at which the health benefits of alcohol clearly outweigh the risks. Moderate drinking seems to be good for the heart and circulatory system, and probably protects against type 2 diabetes and gallstones. Heavy drinking is a major cause of preventable death in most countries.

Alcohol use: Weighing risks and benefits

• Several studies have found no association or a negative association between alcohol intake and changes in weight, BMI or other measures of adiposity 12, 30, 32–39.
• A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) attributes 2.6 million deaths per year to alcohol consumption—4.7% of all deaths.
• Moderate drinking is defined as no more than one standard drink per day for women and no more than two for men.
• Limit milk/dairy (1-2 servings/day) and juice (1 small glass/day).
• If you have a bad day or are feeling angry, don’t reach for a drink.
• In 2012, results of a study of swine with high cholesterol levels suggested that moderate consumption of both vodka and wine may reduce cardiovascular risk, with wine offering greater protection.

In the latest study on dementia, the one concluding any alcohol consumption is a risk, researchers examined data from nearly 314,000 white British adults from the U.K. The researchers sought a relationship between light-to-moderate alcohol consumption and future dementia risk. Participants provided information about their drinking habits, with researchers tracking dementia cases through hospital and death records over 13.2 years. The average alcohol consumption recorded was 13.6 units per week, with nearly half the participants exceeding the UK’s recommended limit of 14 units per week. A new study indicates any drinking may cause dementia, which scares a lot of people.

Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation

This study jars the belief how to drink moderately that light to moderate drinking could provide cognitive benefits. While being debated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends moderate drinking, or no more than one drink per day for women and two per day for men. A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) attributes 2.6 million deaths per year to alcohol consumption—4.7% of all deaths. While moderate alcohol consumption may reduce your risk of heart disease, heavy drinking may increase it. In the past, moderate drinking was thought to be linked with a lower risk of dying from heart disease and possibly diabetes. After more analysis of the research, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Nutrition and healthy eating

More recently, some researchers have questioned the health benefits of alcohol and linked any drinking with increased risks for premature death, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Getting extra folate may cancel out this alcohol-related increase. 18 An earlier study suggested that getting 600 micrograms a day of folate could counteract the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on breast cancer risk.

How Much Alcohol Is Safe to Drink? ‘Not Much’ May Be the Answer

Simultaneously, alcohol abuse is the third main cause of preventable death in the US, as it’s a large factor in chronic diseases, accidents, traffic crashes and social problems (68). Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for cancers of the mouth, throat, colon, breast and liver (57, 58, 59). In fact — while drinking beer regularly may cause an increase in waist circumference — the well-known “beer belly” — wine consumption may have the opposite effect (31, 35, 36).