Drinking small amounts of alcohol may not help you live longer

BOSTON — Drinking small amounts of alcohol a day may not help you live longer.  

The data has been conflicting on whether drinking alcohol in moderation might actually be good for your heart and your overall health, but this most recent analysis suggests it's not. 

Researchers reviewed 107 previous studies involving nearly 5 million participants and found no significant reduction in mortality for drinkers who consumed less than 25 grams of alcohol daily, which is a little less than two standard drinks a day.  And they found a significantly higher risk of death among females who drank 25 grams or more of alcohol a day and men who drank 45 grams or more a day.  

Researchers say modest drinkers tend to be healthier than people who abstain from alcohol as measured by exercise, diet, weight, dental hygiene, and income which may make it seem like light to moderate drinking may provide a longevity benefit when it really doesn't.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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