Facts about moderate drinking | CDC (2024)

FAQs

What is the truth about moderate drinking? ›

Moderate drinking sits at the point at which the health benefits of alcohol clearly outweigh the risks. The latest consensus places this point at no more than 1-2 drinks a day for men, and no more than 1 drink a day for women.

Helps Your Heart

If you're in good shape, moderate drinking makes you 25% to 40% less likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or hardened arteries. This may be in part because small amounts of alcohol can raise your HDL ("good" cholesterol) levels. Heavy drinking, on the other hand, boosts your risk of heart disease.

Alcohol consumption is associated with a variety of short- and long-term health risks, including motor vehicle crashes, violence, sexual risk behaviors, high blood pressure, and various cancers (e.g., breast cancer).

At least two different studies involving UK Biobank participants found an association between light and moderate drinking and shrinkage of the brain's gray matter and structural damage in white matter.

There are indications that light to moderate consumption is associated with lower risk for depressive conditions when compared with abstinence, with risk increasing again for heavier drinkers, resulting in a J-shaped relationship—a finding supported by a recent meta-analysis (9).

The patterns below are considered “heavy” drinking,^16,17 which markedly increases the likelihood of AUD and other alcohol-related harms: For women—4 or more drinks on any day or 8 or more per week. For men—5 or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week.

Drinking one or two standard beers per day (12 ounces or 355 mL) may have positive effects for your heart, bones, blood sugars, and dementia risk. But too much drinking raises your risk of many health issues, including depression, weight gain, and liver disease.

What are 7 facts about alcohol? ›

"There's good evidence that, in general, moderate drinkers who average one to two drinks a day tend to live longer," says Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition and director of the Program in Cardiovascular Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

If a person still chooses to drink alcohol, they may consider that certain types of alcohol may be healthier options than others. These can include lower-calorie and high antioxidant options, such as red, white, and sparkling wine, low sugar co*cktails, light beer, and cider.

The truth is that moderation is an elusive goal that is incredibly hard to achieve for people who have struggled with drinking too much or too often. And it's because alcohol is an addictive drug. By taking the drug (alcohol) the substance creates the need for another dose (and you drink again).

Is moderation a realistic goal for some people with less severe drinking problems? Yes, this is an established fact supported by decades of scientific research showing that with proper help, many people with less severe drinking problems are able to cut down on their alcohol consumption and keep it within safer limits.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults who choose to drink do so in moderation – 1 drink or less on a day for women or 2 drinks or less on a day for men.

In 2001, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital have found that moderate alcohol consumption among people who have a specific version of a gene that metabolizes alcohol have a greater reduction in risk of heart disease and higher HDL (good cholesterol) levels (read story).

A note on drinking level terms used in this Core article: The 2020-2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines states that for adults who choose to drink alcohol, women should have 1 drink or less in a day and men should have 2 drinks or less in a day.