A major new study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found no evidence that any amount of alcohol provides a protective health benefit and concluded that even moderate drinking carries measurable risks of death from alcohol-related causes.
The research, summarized by StudyFinds and conducted by a team of U.S. and international researchers, could add to growing calls for stricter federal alcohol guidelines.
The study was convened through a federal interagency effort and examined alcohol consumption patterns among Americans using national survey data, U.S. death records, Census figures, and disease burden information.
Among the study’s findings, men who consume 14 drinks per week face roughly a 1-in-25 chance of dying from an alcohol-caused illness or injury over their lifetime. Researchers found that risk levels begin increasing at much lower consumption levels. For men, the lifetime risk of an alcohol-related death exceeded 1 in 1,000 at more than 6.5 drinks per week. For women, the threshold was just above seven drinks per week.
The researchers also challenged the long-held belief that moderate drinking may be beneficial for heart health. After comparing drinkers with people who had never consumed alcohol, they found no protective health effect at any level of alcohol consumption. The study used lifetime non-drinkers as the comparison group to avoid distortions that can occur when former drinkers who quit due to illness are included among non-drinkers.
Women appeared to face greater health risks at higher drinking levels. While overall death risks were similar between men and women up to about 14 drinks per week, women were more than twice as likely as men to die from cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases at that level. At 21 drinks per week, women’s risk was approximately three times higher than men’s.
The study also found that younger adults receive no health benefit from alcohol consumption. Among people under age 40, most alcohol-related deaths stemmed from road accidents, unintentional injuries, violence, and suicide rather than chronic diseases such as cancer or liver disease.
Researchers said binge drinking poses especially serious dangers. A review of driving studies found that each 0.02% increase in blood alcohol concentration raised the odds of a fatal crash by about 74%. At the legal driving limit in most states, the odds of a fatal crash were 13 times higher than when sober. The study also linked alcohol use to higher risks of heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and suicide attempts.
Based on their findings, the authors argued that U.S. alcohol guidelines should be revised. Previous federal recommendations advised limiting intake to two drinks per day for men and one for women. The researchers instead recommended a limit of no more than one drink per day for both men and women who choose to drink.
Alcohol remains the most widely used mind-altering substance in the United States. According to the study, more than 134 million Americans reported drinking alcohol in the past month as of 2024, while an estimated 178,000 alcohol-related deaths occurred during 2020 and 2021. The authors also noted that only 56% of American adults knew alcohol can cause cancer, suggesting that public education efforts may be needed.
The researchers acknowledged several limitations. They noted that the risk estimates apply to populations rather than individuals and that factors such as smoking, diet, genetics, and existing medical conditions can significantly affect a person’s risk. They also said alcohol consumption surveys may underestimate actual drinking levels, though adjustments were made to account for that gap.