Newswise — Both the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the Centers for Disease Control have concluded that up to one drink daily for women, and up to two drinks daily for men, fall within U.S. dietary guidelines. Several studies have reported that consuming one to two drinks on occasion – called low-level drinking – is protective against cardiovascular disease. However, other research has shown that any alcohol use appears to increase the risk of some types of cancer. This study used large-scale databases to analyze the association between alcohol use and risk of death.

Researchers examined two datasets containing information about self-reported alcohol-use patterns – both quantity and frequency – and mortality: the National Health Interview Survey, containing data for 340,668 individuals (193,719 women, 146,949 men); and Veterans Health Administration outpatient medical records for 93,653 individuals (83,783 men, 9,870 women). Survival analyses were used to evaluate the associations between low-level drinking frequency and death.

Drinking every day, even at low levels, appeared to be dangerous. The findings showed a greater risk of death among individuals who drank one to two drinks four or more times weekly, compared to individuals who drank one to two drinks three times weekly – even though both groups were drinking within current U.S. dietary guidelines. The authors suggested that U.S. dietary guidelines for “healthy” alcohol use should be lowered.

Journal Link: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research