Study Says 0 Drinks Is Safest, Challenging 1-a-Day Health Benefit
Updated
Updated · FOX 35 Orlando · Jun 15
Study Says 0 Drinks Is Safest, Challenging 1-a-Day Health Benefit
3 articles · Updated · FOX 35 Orlando · Jun 15
Summary
A new study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found the lowest-risk level of alcohol consumption is none, and advised adults who drink to cap intake at 1 drink a day.
Researchers reached that conclusion by modeling links between regular drinking and life expectancy, combining alcohol-related injury and disease data with large U.S. health and demographic databases.
The analysis said even low alcohol use carries risks that rise with consumption, with harms from liver disease, stroke and certain cancers outweighing any presumed benefit from moderate drinking.
The findings push beyond older guidance that often treated up to 2 daily drinks for men as safe, echoing a separate sidelined federal study that also found elevated risks at low intake.
Researchers and outside experts said the work is observational and partly based on self-reported drinking, so it shows strong correlation rather than proving direct causation.
Why did new U.S. health guidelines omit alcohol's cancer link after a Surgeon General advisory highlighted it?
With two government-backed studies in conflict, what is the true health risk of moderate drinking?
Alcohol and Health in 2026: Why U.S. Guidelines Now Say "Less Is Best"
Overview
Recent scientific research has led to a major shift in understanding alcohol’s health effects, showing that there is no safe level of consumption. Once thought to be safe or even beneficial in moderation, alcohol is now recognized as carrying significant health risks, including cancer. Reflecting this, the U.S. government’s latest dietary guidelines no longer set daily drink limits but instead advise everyone to consume less alcohol for better health, and specifically recommend that certain groups, like pregnant individuals, avoid it entirely. This change highlights the growing consensus that reducing alcohol is always better for your health.