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Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with a significantly higher risk of death from all causes, cancer and heart disease, while the relationship between lower levels of drinking and health outcomes appears to vary by the type of alcoholic beverage consumed, according to new research.
The findings, presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26), are based on health and drinking data from more than 340,000 adults in the UK Biobank. Researchers followed participants for more than 13 years on average to examine associations between alcohol intake, beverage type and mortality.
The study found that people in the highest alcohol-consumption group were 24% more likely to die from any cause than those who never drank or drank only occasionally. They also faced a 36% higher risk of cancer death and a 14% higher risk of death from heart disease.
Researchers said the findings reinforce earlier evidence that lower alcohol consumption is generally associated with better health outcomes.
At lower and moderate levels, however, the researchers found differences depending on the type of drink. Consumption of spirits, beer and cider was associated with a significantly higher risk of death, while similar levels of wine consumption were associated with a lower risk.
The contrast was particularly notable for cardiovascular deaths. Moderate wine drinkers had a 21% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with people who never drank or drank only occasionally. By comparison, even low levels of spirits, beer or cider consumption were associated with a 9% higher risk of cardiovascular death.
“These results come from the general population, and in certain high-risk groups, such as people with chronic diseases or cardiovascular conditions, the risks could be even higher,” said Zhangling Chen, MD, PhD, a professor at Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University in China and senior author of the study.
For the analysis, researchers examined drinking patterns and mortality outcomes among 340,924 UK Biobank participants enrolled between 2006 and 2022. Participants reported their dietary and alcohol intake when they joined the study and were grouped according to their average consumption of pure alcohol.
A standard 12-ounce beer, 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5-ounce serving of spirits contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol.
The researchers classified consumption of less than 20 grams per week as never or occasional drinking. Low consumption was defined as between 20 grams per week and 20 grams per day for men and between 20 grams per week and 10 grams per day for women. Higher levels were classified as moderate or high consumption based on sex-specific thresholds.
The researchers cautioned that the apparent differences between beverages do not necessarily mean wine is protective or that people should drink wine for health benefits.
Several factors could explain the findings, they said. Wine, particularly red wine, contains polyphenols and other compounds that may influence cardiovascular health. Drinking patterns may also differ: wine is more often consumed with meals and may be associated with healthier diets and lifestyles, while beer, cider and spirits may be consumed in different social settings.
“Taken together, these factors suggest that the type of alcohol, how it is consumed and the associated lifestyle behaviors all contribute to the observed differences in mortality risk,” Chen said.
The researchers stressed that alcohol-related health risks remain important even at relatively low levels, particularly for people already at higher risk of cardiovascular or other chronic diseases.