OTTAWA, April 4 ― Does wine really have health benefits when consumed in moderation? A team of researchers set out to address this common myth by analysing data from over 100 studies and involving nearly 5 million people. The result is that, despite what wine-lovers might say, alcohol does not offer protection against cardiovascular disease, nor does it make you live longer.

Alcohol consumption has been the subject of a multitude of studies over the decades, many of which contradict each other. Plus, certain alcoholic beverages, such as wine in France, or beer in Ireland, are considered to be veritable institutions, to the point that the slightest medicinal virtue related to these drinks is quickly celebrated. However, a team of researchers from Canada's University of Victoria has looked closely at the subject in a meta-analysis which examined 107 studies published between January 1980 and July 2021 on alcohol consumption and mortality risk, involving some 4.8 million participants.

No benefits associated with alcohol

Published in the journal JAMA Network Open, their research reveals that alcohol consumption, even in small or moderate quantities, is not associated with a lower risk of mortality, nor with the prevention of cardiovascular disease. In detail, the researchers explain that people who consumed less than 25 grams of ethanol per day ― equivalent to about two glasses of wine or beer ― are no more likely to live longer than those who never drink alcohol. And wine does not protect the heart, as previous research has claimed, the scientists say.

Speaking to Time magazine, study co-author Tim Stockwell, a professor of psychology at the University of Victoria, said: “The idea that alcohol is good for your health is so ingrained in many cultures.” He and his colleagues also explain why previous research may have found a correlation between moderate alcohol consumption and health benefits in older adults, pinpointing external factors that had not previously been considered.

“People who are still healthy in their 70s and 80s can continue to drink. Those who become frail, are on medication, or socialize less [tend to] stop or cut down on their drinking.” In other words, people who drink alcohol at a certain age may indeed turn out to be healthier than those who don't drink at all, but only because their health allows them this lifestyle ― not the other way around.

Alcohol-related risk

Not only did the researchers find no link between moderate alcohol consumption and a significant reduction in the risk of premature death, but they also observed a higher risk of mortality in people who drank at least three glasses of alcohol per day, compared with those who drank little or nothing. Last but not least, the risk of all-cause mortality was significantly higher in women who drank 25 grams of ethanol per day, compared to an equivalent consumption in men.

In January 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that “no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health.” The WHO also reported that “the latest available data indicate that half of all alcohol-attributable cancers in the WHO European Region are caused by 'light' and 'moderate' alcohol consumption ― less than 1.5 litres of wine or less than 3.5 litres of beer or less than 450 millilitres of spirits per week.” The organisation goes on to state that this so-called 'moderate' consumption is at the origin of the majority of alcohol-attributable breast cancers in women. A finding that is now supported by this new study involving nearly 5 million people. ― ETX Studio