Alcohol and your health: Risks, benefits, and controversies

We spend more time in REM sleep during the second half of the night, when the effects of pre-bed alcohol seem to be at their strongest. By suppressing this all-important stage, alcohol can spur fatigue, brain fog, and emotional dysregulation. Long-term alcohol use can cause a condition known as “alcoholic lung disease,” characterized by oxidative stress and chronic inflammation in the airways. This condition weakens the lungs’ ability to defend against environmental pollutants and infections, leaving them vulnerable to damage. The conflict has been on display in recent months, with the release of assessments that will be used to shape the U.S. Researchers from two federal organizations reviewed the science on moderate drinking—and reached some different conclusions about how it affects health.

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Of course, if you don’t drink, don’t start in hopes of helping your health. Instead, get regular exercise, eat a healthy diet, and of course don’t smoke. These steps will enhance virtually every aspect of your health, from overall mood to sexual potency. People with diabetes or prediabetes should limit alcohol consumption or avoid it altogether. Chronic hangovers can indicate alcohol misuse and negatively impact productivity and mental health. Many people find alcohol lowers social anxiety and helps them engage in conversations more comfortably.

Let’s define healthy

He enjoys using evidence-based research to help others breathe easier and live a healthier life. Reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption can help restore some of their natural defenses. Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to a decline in lung function over time. This includes reduced lung capacity, impaired oxygen exchange, and difficulty breathing.

No amount of alcohol is truly «safe.»

• The research shows that while a small amount of alcohol may reduce risk for heart disease and diabetes, it starts to raise risk for other diseases, especially cancer, from the first sip.
• Alcohol reduces iron absorption, helping maintain a balanced level in such individuals.
• For people with conditions like asthma or bronchitis, this can worsen symptoms and increase the likelihood of flare-ups.
• The participants, whose average age was 57, reported consuming 9.2 drinks per week on average.
• It’s important to keep in mind that what is considered safe and healthy for you might not be the same as it is for someone else.
• The liver, in particular, bears much of the brunt, as it’s responsible for breaking down alcohol and removing toxins from the body.

Here, over 200 million people in the Region are at risk of developing alcohol-attributable cancer. The topic of alcohol and sleep is of special interest to researchers lately, with nearly 600 studies2 published on it so far this year. However, the vast majority of this research is on people who are heavy drinkers or have alcohol use disorder.

Now, a new study suggests that any amount of alcohol — even just one why is alcohol good for you drink per day — may raise rather than lower a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease. In August of 2018, two larger studies examined the impact of alcohol. The first one, published in The Lancet, included only people who drank at least some alcohol. It concluded that common recommendations regarding «moderate» drinking (one drink a day or less for women, and two drinks per day or less for men) might be too much. Compared with drinking excessively, moderate drinking reduces your risk of negative health effects. Drinking is embedded into certain parts of American culture, particularly sports, she adds.

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For example, the definition of «one drink» in the US is 14 grams of alcohol, as found in a 12-ounce bottle of beer, 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5-ounce shot glass of distilled spirits. In other countries, and in many research studies, a different definition is used. That’s the best way to describe the relationship between alcohol and health.

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• Two drinks a day might cancel the benefit, but still do no major harm.
• After more analysis of the research, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
• In fact, a 2017 study in the BMJ reports the size of the average wine glass has nearly doubled in size in the past 25 years, which means our 2018 half-full pour is more like 7 to 10 ounces than 5.
• Tawakol encourages his patients to think holistically about their behavior and risks.

Another way alcohol can contribute to cancer growth is by acting as a solvent, allowing carcinogenic substances to enter cells more easily, says Andrews. Research shows that even low levels of alcohol consumption can be potentially harmful, as there is no safe level for cancer risk, adds Diaz. It examined data from hundreds of studies and other sources (including sales of alcohol, home-brewed alcoholic beverage consumption, and even estimates of tourist consumption) in 195 locations.

• John Landry is a registered respiratory therapist from Memphis, TN, and has a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.
• While these studies can give researchers an idea about how different habits may affect specific parts of health, they can only establish correlation—not causation.
• A drink or two a few times a week may make you less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease.

It can be triggered by trauma, infections, or other major health events. Research has shown that individuals with a history of heavy alcohol use are at a significantly higher risk of developing ARDS. The industry backs its opposition with substantial lobbying efforts. The industry also contributed $24 million to political candidates and parties during the 2024 election cycle. But again, because the research is observational, it’s difficult to know how moderate drinking truly affects heart health.

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The alcohol industry has long opposed stricter federal regulations on drinking, including warning labels and tighter consumption guidelines. Experts said it’s possible to undo the negative effects of moderate alcohol consumption, but this would depend on the damage and the person’s unique characteristics and habits. When taken together, the new reports implicate moderate drinking with a higher risk of breast, esophageal, and oral cancer, but an advisory from the Surgeon General outlines even more dire outcomes. But what’s less clear is the effect that drinking in moderation, specifically, has on cancer risk. Research on the topic is sparse to begin with, and studies that do exist are observational, as mentioned, so they don’t provide the highest-quality data. Acetaldehyde is “very toxic to a lot of different tissues,” says Dr. Sarah Wakeman, senior medical director for substance-use disorder at Mass General Twelve-step program Brigham.