DRINKING a little of what you fancy every day is better for your health than being teetotal, a big American study has confirmed.

A regular but moderate alcohol intake — a drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men — generally does more good than harm, according to an extensive review of the evidence by the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Low-level alcohol consumption protects significantly against coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in developed countries, so its benefits usually outweigh any risks, the panel of leading scientists concluded.

Any improvements to health evaporate with heavier daily consumption or binge drinking, however, and more research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of moderate drinking for the young.

T.K. Li, director of the institute, which funds alcohol research for the US Government, said: “The state of current science does not advocate drinking. These findings simply point out what the research says about the health-related effects of moderate drinking.”

For men, the safe level is two 330ml bottles of regular strength beer, two 150ml glasses of wine or a 45ml double measure of spirits a day.

The study, details of which are published today in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, examined the findings of recent research into the relationship between alcohol and several conditions.

It found strong evidence that moderate drinking does not raise the risk of heart attacks or strokes, but that it does protect against coronary heart disease in middle and old age. Lorraine Gunzerath of the institute, who led the review, said that little research had been done into the effects of moderate drinking over a lifetime.

Even the recommended consumption for women appears to raise the risk of breast cancer by 10 per cent among the overall population. The increased danger to individual women, however, is usually outweighed by the benefits to cardiovascular health.

A TIPPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

Cardiac health: no raised risk of heart attacks or strokes. Protective effect against coronary disease among over-45s

Breast cancer: a drink a day for women raises risk by 10 per cent. Any risks are outweighed by benefits to cardiac health. Moderate drinking may particularly affect women with family history of breast cancer, or those taking HRT

Obesity and diabetes: no clear evidence of effect on obesity. Moderate consumption appears to reduce risk of diabetes

Pregnancy: no link to birth defects, but possible link to behavioural and neurocognitive problems. No safe level for drinking during pregnancy. Alcohol does not promote lactation, but inhibits it

Ageing: no evidence of link between moderate drinking and cognitive impairing. No evidence of link to macular degeneration, common form of age-related blindness

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