Study Finds Wine Cuts Cardiovascular Death Risk 21% While Heavy Drinking Lifts Overall Mortality 24%
Updated
Updated · PhillyVoice.com · Aug 9
Study Finds Wine Cuts Cardiovascular Death Risk 21% While Heavy Drinking Lifts Overall Mortality 24%
3 articles · Updated · PhillyVoice.com · Aug 9
Summary
340,000 UK adults tracked from 2006 to 2022 showed moderate wine drinkers had a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular death than never or occasional drinkers, while beer, cider and spirits drinkers faced a 9% higher risk.
High consumption erased those differences: heavy drinkers were 24% more likely to die from any cause, 36% more likely to die from cancer and 14% more likely to die from heart disease regardless of beverage type.
Researchers said the findings suggest alcohol type matters alongside amount, with wine's apparent advantage possibly tied to polyphenols, drinking with meals and healthier overall diets and habits among wine drinkers.
The study relied on self-reported drinking patterns recorded at the start of the period, so it could not capture later changes; the authors said randomized trials are needed to pin down alcohol's specific health effects.
The results add nuance to broader evidence that alcohol raises health risks, including a June study that linked even one drink a day to higher risks of cancer, early death, and heart and liver disease.