In the US, 14 alcoholic drinks a week linked to a 1-in-25 risk of death — ScienceDaily
In the United States, a study commissioned by the federal government to update dietary guidelines estimated the lifetime risk of death from alcohol-related causes for people who consume an average of 14 alcoholic drinks per week at one in 25. Consuming up to seven drinks weekly was linked to only a small increase in risks for most health conditions, ScienceDaily reports.
Analysis of more than 7,200 scientific papers
The authors of the Alcohol Intake and Health Study examined how alcohol consumption throughout life affects illness and premature death among Americans. The results were published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, a journal published at Rutgers University.
Medical experts analyzed more than 7,200 scientific publications on alcohol-related diseases and injuries. Risk estimates for individual conditions were combined with large national datasets, while statistical models were used to calculate the consequences of different levels of consumption.
The study leader, University of Toronto Associate Professor Kevin Shield, noted that health risks exist even at low levels of alcohol consumption and increase as the amount rises. Researchers from the United States and Canada also concluded that risks become more noticeable when consumption exceeds one drink per day, regardless of sex.
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Potential heart benefits do not outweigh the risks
The scientists considered not only premature death, but also alcohol's association with cancers of the esophagus, oral cavity and breast, cardiovascular and liver diseases, as well as injuries. According to their conclusions, no significant overall protective effect of alcohol on health was found at any level of consumption.
At low levels of consumption, alcohol may be associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. At the same time, in the overall assessment covering cancer and other chronic diseases, the risks outweigh these possible benefits even at seven drinks per week.
Risks differ for individual people
The researchers emphasized that their calculations describe risks for the population rather than providing an exact forecast for a specific person. Individual risk may be affected by lifestyle, genetics, patterns of alcohol consumption and other factors.
The authors are also continuing to study possible additional consequences of alcohol consumption, including its possible association with pancreatic cancer.
