Consistent excessive drinking harms health across all beverage types, but emerging research reveals that light-to-moderate consumption affects the body differently depending on what you drink.
Wine consumption showed protective effects against cardiovascular death, reducing risk by 21% among moderate drinkers. In stark contrast, spirits, beer, and cider carried elevated mortality risks—even at low intake levels, these drinks increased the likelihood of death by 9%.
Researchers analyzed data from over 340,000 UK adults tracked through the UK Biobank from 2006 to 2022, following participants for an average of 13-plus years. Alcohol intake was measured in grams of pure alcohol consumed daily and weekly, providing precise consumption tracking. The research will be presented by the end of March at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
These findings underscore how alcohol fundamentally affects our bodies. The damage from heavy drinking is well-documented and can be irreversible, sometimes even leading to death in severe cases.
In this gallery, we dig deep into the impact of alcohol on our bodies and bring you interesting facts about drinking. Click on to learn more.