Articles
Alcohol use: Weighing risks and benefits
Possible health benefits of moderate alcohol use
Guidelines for moderate alcohol use
When to avoid alcohol use
The risks of heavy alcohol use
Drink alcohol only in moderation — or not at all
Content
Defining moderate
Pros and cons of moderate alcohol use
Risks of heavy alcohol use
When to avoid alcohol
Deciding about drinking
Pros and cons of moderate alcohol use
Moderate alcohol consumption may provide some health benefits, such as:
- Reducing your risk of developing and dying of heart disease
- Possibly reducing your risk of ischemic stroke (when the arteries to your brain become narrowed or blocked, causing severely reduced blood flow)
- Possibly reducing your risk of diabetes
However, eating a healthy diet and being physically active have much greater health benefits and have been more extensively studied.
Keep in mind that even moderate alcohol use isn't risk-free. For example, even light drinkers (those who have no more than one drink a day) have a tiny, but real, increased risk of some cancers, such as esophageal cancer. And drinking and driving is never a good idea.
