New Study Claims Alcohol Offers No Net Health Benefits (But It’s Still Delicious)

A glass of wine a day might actually not keep the doctor away.

Despite our news feeds constantly being flooded with headlines claiming that indulging in a glass of wine can do anything from reduce risk of heart disease to build better immunity against colds, a new study has found that drinking in moderation actually has no net health benefits.

Researchers from the University of Victoria reviewed 87 long-term studies on alcohol and death rates and discovered that most of the previous research on the subject had been flawed.

Tim Stockwell of UVic’s Centre for Addictions and a team of researchers reviewed each of the studies, which included nearly four million people and more than 367,000 deaths.

Stockwell’s study, which was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, uncovered that the original research had stated “low-volume drinkers” (people who consume up to two drinks a day) had lower mortality risks than those who didn’t drink, who were labelled as “abstainers.”

The flaw in the research was that people grouped in the “abstainers” category actually included people whose poor health forced them to cut down or eliminate their drinking all together. This caused the overall health of this category to be poor, which led to the life expectancy and overall well being of the “low-volume drinkers” to look good by comparison— with alcohol not necessarily having anything to do with it.

“We should drink alcohol for pleasure,” says Stockwell. “But if you think it’s for your health, you’re deluding yourself.”

So remember the next time you order that extra glass of Pinot Noir at dinner to order it for yourself and not because you think it’s good for your health…

Even though it will more than likely be good for the rest of your night.