Could light drinking be good for your heart?

Last June, the American Heart Association published a new scientific review in its journal Circulation, summarizing the latest research on alcohol and heart health and providing guidance for practicing cardiologists.

The review found that currently available evidence suggests that consuming low amounts of alcohol (one to two drinks a day) is not associated with any risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, sudden death, or heart failure. Some research also suggests that light drinking could even help reduce the risk of developing these conditions.

In comparison, heavier alcohol consumption, such as binge drinking or consuming three or more alcoholic beverages a day, was consistently associated with worse cardiovascular health outcomes.

In a table on patient education, the researchers summarized recent evidence on alcohol use and its impact on different heart-related conditions. Although alcohol consumption, even in moderation, could exacerbate high blood pressure, the researchers noted that low alcohol consumption (one drink/day or fewer for women and two drinks/day or fewer for men) could reduce the risk of coronary artery disease and would not increase the risk of heart failure. Long-term consumption of approximately one drink/day was also associated with the lowest risk of sudden death while heavy drinking was associated with an increased risk of sudden death.

Overall, researchers said "[c]linicians should reinforce healthy lifestyle behaviors such as regularly engaging in physical activity, avoiding tobacco use, and maintaining healthy body weight to achieve cardiovascular health and to prevent disease."

However, a 2025 study published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine found that no amount of alcohol is safe in terms of dementia risk. Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has also said that alcohol directly contributes to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 related deaths each year and that alcohol use has been directly tied to at least seven types of cancer.

Separately, public health groups like the European Heart Network and the World Heart Federation have said that even modest drinking will increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Some health experts have also argued that it's dangerous to suggest that there are potential cardiovascular benefits associated with alcohol since the risks of drinking significantly outweigh the benefits.

"The cardiovascular benefits of moderate drinking are questionable at best," said Elizabeth Farkouh, an internist and alcohol researcher. "But even if there was a benefit, there are so many other ways to reduce cardiovascular risk that don't come with an associated cancer risk."

In an opinion piece for STAT, Robert Kaplan, a senior scholar at the Stanford School of Medicine's Clinical Excellence Research Center, wrote that "[f]raming alcohol use as simply 'safe' or 'dangerous' oversimplifies a complex evidence base" and that "[u]ltimately, the choice to drink or abstain reflects personal values."

"If minimizing breast cancer risk is paramount, reducing alcohol makes sense," Kaplan wrote. "If social enjoyment and the possibility of a slightly longer life matter more, an occasional glass of wine with dinner may fit comfortably into a balanced lifestyle. And for someone who is concerned about their relationship with alcohol, Dry January might offer a valuable opportunity to reset and reflect."