Alcohol: Is Any Amount Safe?

A glass of wine with dinner, a beer after a hard day of work. It’s not hard to integrate an occasional drink with a healthy lifestyle. Or is it?  In recent years, we’ve read that red wine is rich with antioxidants, and that an occasional beer can raise “good” cholesterol. But results from a new research study suggest that even moderate alcohol consumption – the kind we tell ourselves is healthy – may actually be detrimental to our health. In other words, the much-heralded health benefits of drinking don’t outweigh the risks.

A recently published research study looks at data collected in almost 700 studies, spanning 195 countries and territories. Some of the findings are startling: 

• Alcohol is the leading risk factor for death in the age 15 through 49 age group.
• Alcohol use was responsible for 2.8 million deaths worldwide in 2016.
• For women in particular, the health risks increase with age. Alcohol was responsible for over 27 percent of cancer deaths in women over 50.

The authors of the study are firm in their conclusion: “By evaluating all associated relative risks for alcohol use, we found that consuming zero standard drinks daily minimizes the overall risk to health.”  In other words, the only safe amount of drinks is none at all. This finding differs from many earlier studies, which often concluded that moderate drinking was the best approach.

Why did this study reach a more decisive conclusion than previous examinations of alcohol’s effect on health? Several factors come into play. This study was careful to consider the ways they measured consumption. For example, researchers looked at regional variations in alcohol consumption that could be attributed to things like tourism. In addition, the study looked at alcohol’s impact on 23 different health problems. For some of those problems (such as heart disease), mild alcohol consumption had a positive effect. But that positive effect was outweighed by a greater negative impact on other health issues (greater cancer risk for example).

Should you drink alcohol?

What does this mean for you? If you drink, should you stop? Alcohol consumption is a very personal decision. This study looked at the picture, worldwide. It was not studying individuals, but rather analyzing vast amounts of data previously collected, specifically looking at the risks for the 23 health issues. That data was conclusive. But it’s up to you how you apply it to your own life. This latest study can’t, for example, tell you if it’s OK to have some wine for New Year’s given your own unique genetics and other lifestyle factors.

One aspect is clear: If you’ve told yourself that drinking is healthy, you may want to reconsider that. That doesn’t necessarily mean you must immediately quit or to never drink alcohol again. However, in deciding whether or not alcohol is something you want in your life, it’s best to be realistic about the health risks.

If you’re wondering about alcohol, talk to a healthcare practitioner, and be upfront about your alcohol consumption during the visit. Many people underreport how much they drink, but it’s best to be honest. You want to have an open discussion about all of your health concerns. Remember that healthcare providers aren’t looking to judge you: they want to work with you to create your best life.

You also want to look at your own medical history and perhaps check out more specific studies. For example, another recently published study concluded that alcohol is the biggest controllable risk factor for dementia. If you have other dementia risk factors that are out of your control, such as a genetic history, you may want take action on the things you can control.  (Note, if you are concerned about your cognitive health and dementia risk, book a cognitive screening test with us, and investigate our Brain Rebalance Program).  Similarly, if you have a history of depression, consider alcohol’s impact on mental health. If you are trying to control your weight, the extra calories of alcohol aren’t going to help. Alcohol can also lower your judgment and keep you from making your best decisions.

Some patients express frustration at the different results they see in research studies: one day something is good for you, then the next day we suddenly need to avoid it! Studies on alcohol use can be proof that when we read an eye-catching health-related headline, we need to look beyond the numbers.

One thing to keep in mind is that the media will typically seize the most dramatic sound bite, although it’s impossible to always convey the nuances of a well-run scientific study in a short headline. For example, a news story doesn’t always mention who funded the study. For the record, the Lancet study on alcohol safety mentioned earlier was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, while some others that emphasized alcohol’s benefits were funded by companies who sell alcohol. That doesn’t necessarily mean the studies are false, but we should all remember the funders have a vested interest in how the results are interpreted and reported.

As well, ‘correlation doesn’t always equal causation.’ That’s sometimes hard to capture in reporting large studies. In fact, there are studies that show that ‘resveratrol’ (an antioxidant found in red wine) is beneficial to your health, however, if you have other health issues like poor gut function, low energy, sleep issues and more, alcohol will likely have negative impacts and could make your health issues worse.

Whenever you’re confused about a health issue, the best approach is to consider it from a sample study size of one: yourself. That means talking to a healthcare provider about your own personal history and choices and your current health concerns and personal risk factors. We can help you sort through all of the information you face every day and figure out what’s best for your unique body, in fact, we are experts in doing just that! Give our office a call, we are here to help 905-597-7201.