Not necessarily. A recent, well-publicized study says that consuming any amount of alcohol increases the risk for health problems and death. But this conclusion is somewhat misleading. If you take a thorough look at the numbers presented in this study, you’ll see that the risk associated with having a couple drinks every day is insignificant.
While heavy alcohol use should be avoided, moderate consumption (1-2 drinks daily) has actually been linked to several health benefits. Moderate alcohol consumption has been linked with a 30% to 50% reduced risk of coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, and heart attack compared with never drinking alcohol. But think twice about drinking larger amounts of alcohol, especially on a regular basis. Chronically drinking more than two drinks daily has been linked with increased risk of overall death, as well as death from heart disease.
For more details on the benefits and risks of alcohol consumption, review our recently updated beer and wine monographs.
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