Research

Mixed

Light to moderate alcohol consumption (1-14 g/day) is associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality compared to abstinence or heavy drinking, but heavy consumption increases cancer mortality.

If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to one drink or less per day. This level of consumption is associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality compared to abstinence or heavy drinking. However, be aware that heavy drinking increases your risk of cancer. If you do not drink, there is no compelling reason to start for health benefits, especially given the cancer risk associated with heavier use.

GoodQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
However, heavy alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of cancer mortality. As a result, light to moderate alcohol consumption was associated with the lowest all cause mortality.
Rob M. van Dam et al. · BMJ · 2008

Why this rating

Prospective cohort study with large sample size, but observational nature limits causal inference regarding alcohol's specific mechanisms.

Source

Combined impact of lifestyle factors on mortality: prospective cohort study in US women

Rob M. van Dam et al. · BMJ · 2008

DOI 10.1136/bmj.a1440

cohort · n=77782Cited 459×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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