In a new study which compared health and drinking habits of upwards of 600,000 people from 19 worldwide countries that were controlled for smoking, age, diabetes, occupation, and education. Upper safe limit was 5 drinks per week of 4% ABV pints of beer or 13% ABV 175ml glasses of wine, above this limit was linked to lower life expectancy such as 18 drinks per week was linked to 5 years shorter life expectancy, and 10 drinks linked with 2 year shorter life expectancy.
Recommendations previously said that one should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week, equating to 6 pints or 6 glasses of wine per week. This worldwide study showing a limit of 5 holds implications for countries where the alcohol guidelines differ vastly.
Associations between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease were examined in this study in which alcohol was associated with higher risks of heart failure, fatal hypertensive disease, stroke, fatal heart failure, fatal heart attacks, and fatal aortic aneurysms, there was no clear threshold where drinking less did not have a benefit. Alcohol consumption in contrast to other findings was associated with slightly lower risk of non-fatal heart attacks.
It was noted that different relationships between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular diseases may be related to elevating effects of alcohol on blood pressure and factors which are related to elevated high density lipoprotein cholesterol, stressing lower risk of non-fatal heart attack should be considered and balanced in context of increased risks of several other serious and fatal cardiovascular diseases.
Current drinkers were the focus of this study to reduce risk of bias caused by those who abstain due to poor health. Self reported consumption was used along with observational data, so no firm conclusions or absolutes can be made. The study also did not look at the effects of alcohol consumption over lifespan or account for reductions that may have occurred due to other health complications.
This powerful study may make other countries lower their standards as well. Researchers say that it should be remembered these are just guidelines for limit and should not be treated as a target to shoot for, and one should try to drink below this threshold.
