Groundbreaking Research shows Drinking Alcohol in moderation could Save your Life

...and why drinking too much could destroy everything!

Author

My Longevity Experiment
September 21, 2024

For decades, researchers have explored the relationship between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular health, often arriving at conflicting conclusions. A comprehensive study conducted by scientists at Monash University in Australia sought to provide clarity on this issue, leveraging data from over 18,000 individuals aged 70 and older in both the United States and Australia.

Moderate Alcohol Consumption

Excessive alcohol consumption has long been recognized as a major contributor to the global disease burden and a leading risk factor for mortality. However, previous studies have suggested that moderate alcohol consumption could be linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. The Monash University study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, stands out as the first to analyze the risks of CVD events and mortality from all causes associated with alcohol consumption in healthy older adults.

The ASPREE Study

With populations worldwide living longer, maintaining health and independence in older age has become a critical focus of research. The ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) clinical trial, led by Monash University, was a large-scale, long-term, multi-national study designed to explore the impact of aspirin on health in older adults. This study aimed to identify ways to preserve health, quality of life, and independence as people age.

The alcohol consumption analysis, led by Dr. Johannes Neumann from the Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, drew on data from nearly 18,000 participants in the ASPREE trial. These individuals, predominantly aged 70 years or older, were from both Australia and the United States.

Study Cohort

The participants in this study were all free of prior cardiovascular events, dementia, or physical disabilities that could limit independence. The cardiovascular events assessed included coronary heart disease death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, fatal and non-fatal stroke, non-coronary cardiac or vascular death, and hospitalization for heart failure. Alcohol consumption data, including drinking frequency and the average number of drinks consumed per day, was collected via a self-reported questionnaire at the beginning of the study.

Importantly, the study excluded former drinkers who may have stopped consuming alcohol due to health issues, as this could introduce bias through reverse causality.

Calculating Alcohol Intake

Researchers categorized alcohol consumption based on weekly intake, calculated in grams. For participants in the United States, a standard drink was defined as 14 grams of alcohol, while for Australian participants, a standard drink equated to 10 grams.

Alcohol consumption was classified into the following categories:

  • 0 grams/week (never drinks)

  • 1–50 grams/week

  • 51–100 grams/week

  • 101–150 grams/week

  • More than 150 grams/week

For Australians, this corresponded to, up to 5, 5 to 10, 10 to 14, and more than 15 standard drinks per week. For Americans, this equated to, up to 3.5, 3.5 to 7, 7 to 10, and more than 10 standard drinks per week.

Participant Demographics

The study's nearly 18,000 eligible participants had a median age of 74 years. Of these, 57% were female, and 43.3% were either current or former smokers. The average Body Mass Index (BMI) for the group was 28.1, placing the majority in the overweight category. This statistic suggests that a portion of the group could have been classified as obese.

Reported Alcohol Intake

The study participants reported the following levels of alcohol consumption:

  • 18.6% consumed no alcohol weekly

  • 37.3% consumed 1–50 grams/week

  • 19.7% consumed 51–100 grams/week

  • 15.6% consumed 101–150 grams/week

  • 8.9% consumed more than 150 grams/week

Study Results

Over an average follow-up period of 4.7 years, the study found that individuals who consumed 51–100 grams, 101–150 grams, and more than 150 grams of alcohol per week had a reduced risk of cardiovascular events compared to those who abstained from alcohol, regardless of gender. Additionally, consuming 51–100 grams of alcohol per week was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality.

Expert Commentary

Dr. Johannes Neumann, the study’s lead author, emphasized the importance of interpreting the findings cautiously. “The findings need to be interpreted with caution, as study participants were all initially healthy without prior CVD or other severe diseases, and may have been more physically and socially active than the wider aging population,” Dr. Neumann stated. He further highlighted the risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption, noting, “Prior evidence shows that excess alcohol consumption increases the risk of other chronic diseases, such as cancer, liver disease, or pancreatitis.”

Although this study focused on moderate alcohol consumption, Dr. Neumann underscored the dangers of excessive drinking, which were beyond the scope of the current research.

Future Research

The study's findings suggest that moderate alcohol consumption in healthy older adults does not pose significant risks to cardiovascular health or overall mortality. However, Dr. Neumann stressed that more research is needed to investigate the biological mechanisms behind these effects and the potential social benefits associated with moderate alcohol consumption.

Guidelines on Moderate Consumption

Health authorities consistently emphasize the importance of moderation when it comes to alcohol consumption. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, men should limit their alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day, while women should consume no more than one drink per day.

It is essential to reiterate that the potential health benefits of alcohol are only observed with moderate consumption. Individuals who are unable to drink responsibly or have abstained from alcohol for other reasons should not start drinking solely for perceived health advantages.

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