A new federal review has concluded that consuming more than one alcoholic drink per day significantly increases the risk of premature death. The draft report was published recently as part of preparations for a major update to federal guidelines on alcohol consumption in the United States.

The report, released by the Department of Health and Human Services, indicates that consuming over seven drinks per week raises the risk of premature death . Specifically, the risk of dying from alcohol use is estimated at 1 in 1,000 for those consuming more than seven drinks weekly, while the risk escalates to 1 in 100 for those consuming more than nine drinks per week.

This review is part of a larger effort to inform updates to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine previously released another related report. These guidelines play a significant role in shaping public health policies, including how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labels food and beverages. Currently, men are advised to limit alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day, while women are recommended to keep it to one drink daily.

Health experts involved in the report emphasized that consuming more than one drink a day already exceeds a one percent risk of alcohol-related death. While this risk may seem minor, public health standards consider it alarmingly high.

The findings aim to provide a clearer understanding of alcohol-related risks rather than endorsing any specific level of consumption. Similar risk thresholds have been used in other countries for health regulations and policies regarding alcohol consumption.

It remains uncertain whether the current US administration will incorporate these findings into the upcoming dietary guidelines. In 2020, a similar recommendation to limit alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day for all adults was rejected, with officials citing a lack of conclusive evidence to support stricter limits at the time.

Industry Pushback and Controversy

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, representing alcohol producers, has criticized the findings. The organization claimed the report was flawed, biased, and conducted without proper transparency, accusing some panel members of having connections to international anti-alcohol advocacy groups.

The council also argued that Congress neither authorized nor allocated funding for the panel or its work and cited concerns raised by lawmakers and the alcohol industry regarding the report’s methodology and conclusions.

Alcohol-Related Health Risks and Causes of Premature Death

The federal review examined a wide range of diseases and injuries linked to alcohol consumption and distilled complex data from multiple studies into estimates of alcohol-attributable deaths.

While acknowledging the challenges in fully capturing the health impacts of alcohol, researchers warned that the current models might even underestimate the true risks. Alcohol’s effects can vary significantly based on individual factors such as smoking habits, diet, physical activity, obesity, underlying conditions like hepatitis, and genetics.

At the level of one drink per day, the primary contributors to alcohol-related death were identified as cancer and injuries. For men, fatal injuries, including accidents, road incidents, and self-harm linked to alcohol use, were a significant factor in alcohol-related deaths. Cancer followed closely, accounting for nearly a third of the increased risk.

For women, cancer poses an even greater risk than injuries. Cancers most commonly linked to alcohol consumption include colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and cancers of the liver, mouth, throat, and esophagus. The report concluded that the risk of developing these cancers begins with any level of alcohol use and increases with greater consumption.

The risk of liver disease, particularly for individuals with conditions like hepatitis C, was also highlighted as a significant health threat linked to alcohol use.

Interestingly, the report noted a slightly lower risk of ischemic stroke among those consuming one drink daily compared to non-drinkers. However, this potential benefit vanished with increased consumption, as the risk rose with two or more drinks per day.

Growing Calls for Cancer Warnings on Alcohol Labels

In response to the findings, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently called for warnings about cancer risks to be included on alcoholic beverage labels. This move aligns with growing concerns over public awareness of alcohol’s long-term health impacts.

The report concluded that alcohol consumption, even at levels previously considered moderate, carries significant health risks some time it contain premature death. It emphasized the need for clearer public health messaging to educate the public about the dangers associated with alcohol consumption and encourage healthier choices.