Beer, wine or liquor? Massive study reveals which was linked to lower death risk

Heavy drinking has been shown to raise mortality risk, but, at lower levels, what’s in your glass may also matter, a new study suggests.

In recent research of data from 340,924 participants in the UK Biobank, wine was linked to lower mortality, while beer and spirits were tied to higher death risk.

Data were collected between 2006 and 2022, with more than 13 years of average follow-up.

The findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans.

WINE EXPERT SAYS ONE COMMON HABIT COULD BE SABOTAGING EVERY SIP In the study, participants reported their alcohol intake as never/occasional, low, moderate or high.

High consumption was defined as more than 40 grams per day for men (about three standard drinks) and more than 20 grams per day for women (about 1.4 standard drinks).

Participants with high alcohol consumption had a 24% higher risk of all-cause death, 36% higher risk of cancer death and 14% higher risk of cardiovascular death when compared to people who never or occasionally drank, according to the study findings.

With low or moderate alcohol consumption, however, the mortality risk appeared to differ according to the type of beverage.

AMERICA HITS MAJOR MARIJUANA MILESTONE AS DAILY WEED USE SURPASSES DAILY DRINKING Spirits, beer and cider were associated with significantly higher mortality, the researchers found, while the same amount of wine intake was linked to significantly lower mortality.

Moderate wine drinkers had a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular death than those who never or occasionally drank.

Conversely, those who drank low amounts of spirits, beer or cider were found to have 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," Dr.

Zhangling Chen, a professor at the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University in China and the study's senior author, said in a press release.

"These findings can help refine guidance, emphasizing that the health risks of alcohol depend not only on the amount of alcohol consumed but also on the type of beverage." One potential reason for wine’s lower mortality association could be that it contains compounds such as polyphenols and antioxidants, which could have beneficial effects on blood vessels, inflammation and cardiovascular health, the researchers noted.