Does Moderate Alcohol Consumption Really Provide Mortality Benefits?

The mortality benefits of moderate drinking are much smaller than previous research has indicated, according to a recent study.

The new research suggests that rather than a beneficial biological mechanism being responsible for the health benefits seen with moderate alcohol consumption, that in fact, previous study-outcomes may have been marred by categorizing former drinkers and never-drinkers into a single, non-drinking group.¹
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In order to further explore the effects of alcohol on mortality, specifically in adults 50-64 and ≥65 years old, researchers analyzed data from 2 samples of participants in the 1998-2008 Health Survey for England. ¹

The first sample included 18,368 participants and 4102 deaths (between 1998 and 2002) over an average follow-up of 9.7 years, while the second sample (comprised between 1999 and 2008) included 34,523 participants and 4220 deaths over and average 6.5-year follow-up. ¹ Participants within the samples were divided into groups using self-reported alcohol consumption over the past year and heaviest alcohol use in the prior week.

The study showed that only women ages 65 years and older who consumed less than 10 units of alcohol a week or up to 4.5 units on the heaviest day, as well as men aged 50 to 64 years old who consumed 15-20 units a week or up to 1.5 units on the heaviest day experienced mortality benefits compared to non-drinkers. ¹

In an accompanying editorial, Mike Daube, MD, attributed alcohol’s mortality benefits to demonstrative action.

“Reducing the massive health and social harms caused by alcohol will not prevent sensible use and enjoyment of alcohol. Globally, more than 3 million deaths each year are attributable to alcohol. The real mortality benefits will come from determined action at the political level, not outdated advice and wishful thinking,” he said.²

The complete study is published in the February issue of the British Medical Journal.

-Michelle Canales

References:
1. Knott CS, Coombs N, Stamatakis E, et al. All cause mortality and the case for age specific alcohol consumption. BMJ. 2015 February [epub ahead of print] doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h407.

2. Daube M. Alcohol’s evaporating health benefits. BMJ. 2015 February [epub ahead of print] doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h384.