For many years, moderate alcohol consumption among older adults has been considered to have some health benefits, particularly for heart health. However, a recent study has challenged this notion, revealing that even light drinking can be linked to health risks, including cancer.
The Study’s Findings
A comprehensive study published on August 12th in JAMA Network Open found that moderate alcohol consumption does not offer benefits to older adults and, instead, increases the risk of disease-related mortality. The study analyzed health records of over 135,000 adults aged 60 and older in the United Kingdom with various health-related or socioeconomic risk factors.
Conducted over 12 years, the research indicated that even minimal alcohol consumption—defined as no more than 20 grams per day for men and 10 grams for women—was linked to a higher risk of mortality, particularly from cancer. This finding is concerning for individuals with pre-existing health conditions or those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, who were found to be more vulnerable to the harmful effects of alcohol consumption.
During initial interviews, participants were asked detailed questions about their alcohol use between 2006 and 2010. Using data from the UK Biobank, researchers found increases in cancer-related and all-cause mortality in low-, moderate-, and high-risk drinkers.
They also discovered that while no associations were found for moderate drinkers who did not have socioeconomic or health-related risk factors, low-risk drinking still correlated with a higher cancer mortality risk in this age group. Additionally, moderate drinking was linked to a greater likelihood of death from cancer and other causes.
“We did not find evidence of a beneficial association between low drinking and [overall] mortality,” Dr. Rosario Ortolá, the study’s principal author, told the New York Times. Ortolá, who is also an assistant professor of preventive medicine and public health at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, added that alcohol probably raises the risk of cancer “from the first drop.”
However, the study did discover that consuming primarily wine and drinking only with meals reduced the risk, especially regarding cancer-related mortality. This decreased risk might be attributed to slower alcohol absorption or potentially other healthy lifestyle choices made by these individuals, Ortolá proposed.
Are the Findings Conclusive?
While the study provides strong evidence linking moderate alcohol consumption to increased health risks in older adults, it’s essential to approach the findings with a degree of caution. Here’s why:
Observational Study
The study was observational, meaning it observed patterns rather than establishing direct cause-and-effect relationships. While the correlation between alcohol consumption and increased mortality is significant, it doesn’t definitively prove that alcohol caused these outcomes.
Factors Influencing Outcomes
There could also be other underlying factors influencing the results of the study, such as overall health, diet, lifestyle, and genetic predispositions of the participants. These variables can complicate the interpretation of the findings.
For instance, Daniel Landau, MD, a board-certified oncologist and medical director of virtual hematology at the Medical University of South Carolina, as well as a contributor to the Mesothelioma Center, pointed out to Healthline that alcohol might have been particularly detrimental to the older adults in the study because of their pre-existing health conditions.
“People who are over the age of 60 often have other comorbidities such as diabetes or heart disease and are already at higher risks of developing cancers,” Landau, who was not involved in the study, told the website. “Adding alcohol on top of these risks seemed to exacerbate these other medical conditions and possibly promote the risk of cancer development.”
Landau also noted that the study’s participants were predominantly white, so the results do not reflect the impact of alcohol on other racial groups. Additionally, participants classified as light drinkers who consumed wine solely during meals did not experience adverse health consequences.
Dr. Landau offered a possible explanation for this. “The theory is that many of these patients were typically of a higher socioeconomic status [and] had more access to care and less comorbidities,” he suggested. “With potentially having a lower rate of diabetes or other medical conditions, the alcohol may not have had the full detrimental effect it did on the rest of the population.”
The Study’s Implications for Health and Lifestyle
The implications of these findings are significant, indicating that older adults and their healthcare providers need to reevaluate their drinking habits. Healthcare professionals are advised to have open conversations with older patients about their alcohol use, taking into account factors such as overall health, medication regimens, and personal preferences. This discussion is essential for creating personalized strategies that focus on the health and safety of older adults.
Interestingly, these new findings come at a time when experts are grappling with the appropriate official U.S. guidelines for alcohol consumption. As reported by The New York Times, two scientific groups are currently compiling reports on the connection between alcohol and health in anticipation of an update to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.
Current U.S. dietary guidelines assert that “drinking less is better for health than drinking more,” recommending a daily limit of one drink for women and two for men aged 21 and older. However, the guidelines acknowledge emerging evidence indicating that even moderate alcohol consumption may elevate the risk of death from various causes, including cancer and heart disease, prompting a cautious approach.
In contrast, the World Health Organization (WHO) maintains that even low levels of alcohol consumption “can bring health risks.” However, it emphasizes that the most severe alcohol-related harms stem from excessive or chronic drinking. In 2023, the WHO made a definitive statement declaring that no amount of alcohol is safe.