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| New research debunked the notion that moderate drinking has any benefit to health as proposed in 1990s by prominent researchers |
The New York Times Magazine recalls that in the early 1990s, some prominent researchers and the media popularized the idea that moderate drinking was linked to greater longevity. They speculated that red wine might have anti-inflammatory properties beneficial for cardiovascular health and longevity.
However, recent research has debunked the notion that moderate drinking is beneficial. A major meta-analysis last year reviewed 107 studies over 40 years and concluded that no amount of alcohol improves health. In 2022, a well-designed study found that even minimal alcohol consumption posed risks to heart health. Additionally, Nature published research indicating that consuming as little as one or two drinks a day was linked to brain shrinkage, a phenomenon typically associated with aging.
In light of these findings, more people are now reporting daily cannabis use over alcohol. Governments are revising their messaging based on new research. Last year, Ireland became the first country to mandate cancer warnings on alcohol products, stating, "There is a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers." In Canada, the government updated its alcohol guidelines, declaring that even small amounts of alcohol can harm health. The revised guidelines categorize one to two drinks a week as "low risk" and three to six drinks as "moderate risk," whereas previous guidelines allowed women up to two drinks most days and men up to three.
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