Moderate alcohol consumption increases the risk of cardiovascular events and death.

A study by Wood et al published in Lancet suggests that the risks of drinking vis-à-vis cardiovascular events and death are significant.

The authors analyzed data from 599 912 current drinkers without previous cardiovascular disease.  They characterized dose–response associations per 100 gram per week of alcohol across 83 prospective studies, adjusting for age, sex, smoking, and diabetes.

They recorded 40 310 deaths and 39 018 incident cardiovascular disease events among the 599 912 drinkers in high-income countries that were included in their study. For all-cause mortality, they recorded a positive and curvilinear association with the level of alcohol consumption, with the minimum mortality risk at or below 100 g per week. Alcohol consumption was roughly linearly associated with a higher risk of stroke, coronary disease excluding myocardial infarction, fatal hypertensive disease and fatal aortic aneurysm. By contrast, increased alcohol consumption was log-linearly associated with a lower risk of myocardial infarction. In comparison to those who reported drinking >0–≤100 g per week, those who reported drinking >100–≤200 g per week, >200–≤350 g per week, or >350 g per week had lower life expectancy at age 40 years of approximately 6 months, 1–2 years, or 4–5 years, respectively.

The threshold for lowest risk of all-cause mortality was about 100 gram per week or one drink per day. The study concludes that there are no overall health benefits from moderate drinking which according to current guidelines is 196g per week or two drinks per day.