- Alcohol is never healthy <unk> not even in moderation
Alcohol should be avoided altogether, according to a recent assessment by the German Society for Nutrition. The society, which describes itself as an independent association of researchers, advises against drinking any alcohol at all.
This changes the society's previous assessment. Even in moderation, alcohol is not healthy - there is no potentially health-promoting and safe amount of alcohol for consumption, the expert society writes in its new position paper. "Alcohol is a psychoactive drug" that has been identified as the cause of more than 200 negative health consequences such as diseases and accidents. The paper replaces the previous reference value for recommended alcohol consumption.
"Psychoactive drug": Large amounts of alcohol are always harmful
However, if someone still wants to drink alcohol, they should especially avoid large amounts, the expert society advises. This applies particularly to young people. Children, adolescents, pregnant women, and women who are breastfeeding should not drink any alcohol at all.
This was also the result of an analysis of various studies on the relationship between alcohol consumption and health. The reason why studies have found health benefits from moderate alcohol consumption is due to biases caused by flaws in study design, as researchers at the University of Victoria in Canada found out. They had evaluated 107 long-term studies on the relationship between alcohol consumption and mortality.
The relationship between alcohol consumption and health is complex, according to the German Society for Nutrition. In a few chronic diseases, risk-reducing associations with alcohol consumption have been observed. Overall, the disease and death burden caused by alcohol worldwide, and especially in Europe, is significant. The average alcohol consumption in Germany in 2019 was more than twice the global average.
Alcohol consumption is associated with developmental disorders in unborn children, accidents, injuries, violence, and "psychosocial impairments of people who drink alcohol, as well as their social environment," the society writes. Short-term effects include impairments of coordination, attention, and reaction time.
Cancer and Alzheimer's are just some of the consequences
Long-term, alcohol not only poses an addiction risk but also causes diseases, according to experts: cancer (especially breast and colon cancer), cardiovascular diseases, stomach and intestinal diseases, diabetes mellitus, and the decline of cognitive performance, Alzheimer's and other dementia diseases.
Read in our archive: You're at a party, don't want to drink alcohol, but after five minutes, you're incredulously asked why you're not drinking? We explain why saying no is so hard and have slogans for you to counter alcohol-free.
Despite the Society's previous assessment, they now advise against any alcohol use due to its numerous health risks. If someone still chooses to consume alcohol, they should avoid large quantities, especially for groups like young people, children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women. The seemingly health benefits from moderate alcohol consumption often result from biases in study design, as research from the University of Victoria in Canada suggests.
