The purported health benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation continue to be the subject of study and debate. Researchers keep finding some positives — an association with a because of the way alcohol impacts the brain's response to stress, for example. But negatives keep showing up, too.
Even light drinking was associated with a in older adults, a 2024 study found. Drinking, then falling asleep on a plane because the combination of alcohol and cabin pressure can lower a passenger's blood oxygen level and increase their heart rate, according to a separate 2024 study. "It's kind of gone back and forth as to whether it's healthy for you or not to have that light to moderate drinking.
Some of the studies have said yes, some have said no," NBC News medical correspondent Dr. John Torres . "What a lot of experts are saying is: No.
1, don't start drinking just because you think it's going to help with your heart health." No level of alcohol consumption is safe for health, the , noting alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer. The current recommend skipping alcohol altogether or drinking it in moderation, defined as two drinks maximum a day for men, one drink or less a day for women.
has been of particular concern. Still, if people choose to drink alcohol in moderation, there are some preferred go-to options, experts say. “This is a fun indulgence, so choose wisely for taste, serving size and calories,” says NBC News Health and Nutrition Editor Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.
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