Doing this at any level increases your risk of heart disease, a study finds

Over the years, alcohol consumption has been linked to a variety of behaviors. While consumption in large quantities has mostly led to negative outcomes, consumption with discretion has been linked to health benefits including heart health, diabetes and more. But a new study sees things differently, at least when it comes to cardiovascular health.

The study, conducted by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard and MIT, analyzed data from over 300,000 adults and concluded that all forms of alcohol consumption are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The researchers also believe that the benefits of alcohol demonstrated in previous studies are likely due to other lifestyle factors and not the alcohol itself.

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According to data obtained from the UK Biobank, light to moderate drinkers had the lowest risk of heart disease, even more so than those who abstained from alcohol altogether. Looking more closely, the researchers discovered that light-to-moderate drinkers made better lifestyle choices than those who stopped drinking, ate more vegetables, exercised more, and more.

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The researchers also used new techniques to assess whether light alcohol consumption provides some form of cardiovascular protection. “The results confirm that alcohol consumption should not be recommended for improving cardiovascular health; Rather, reducing alcohol consumption is likely to reduce cardiovascular risk in all individuals, albeit to different degrees depending on current levels of consumption,” said study lead author Krishna G. Aragam, MD, MS.

While alcohol can be linked to a variety of benefits, it seems likely that heart health is not one of them.