Do you think that a little alcohol can be healthy? Think again

The researchers also found that premature deaths from cancer or heart disease were not higher among abstainers who had no other health risk factors than among low- to moderate-dose drinkers.

“We were surprised by the large proportion of those who had previous alcohol or drug disorders among abstainers,” John said.

But in the end, he added, “the majority of people who abstain from alcohol have had serious health risk factors that could explain their increased likelihood of dying early, as opposed to people who drink low to moderate .

John’s advice: “Please do not drink alcohol for health reasons.” If the goal is a healthy life, he added, “the optimum is not to drink alcohol.”

The findings come as a bit of a surprise to Lona Sandon, program director of the Clinical Nutrition Division at UT Southwest Medical Center in Dallas.

There is no compelling reason for a non-drinker to start drinking alcohol to improve health or reduce the risk of disease, she said.

“And for people at high risk of cancer, especially breast cancer, no amount of alcohol is recommended,” Sandon added.

But what about all the reported health benefits of red wine?

In an online report, the Mayo Clinic acknowledges that the antioxidants in red wine can raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels, while polyphenols such as resveratrol are said to help reduce blood vessel damage and reduce the risk of blood clotting.

Could this mean that red wine is an exception to the new advice? So far, research aimed at proving so much has been inconclusive, according to a report by the Mayo Clinic.

And Sandon warned that when it comes to promoting health, “red wine does not compensate for poor diet, lack of exercise or other healthy habits.”

She remembered a client who was an avid runner.

“She wanted to lose some body fat in hopes of improving her running time,” Sandon said. “She also drank red wine almost every day because she believed it was a healthy habit.”

As it turned out, the woman actually drank the equivalent of two to three drinks a day. “With that amount, she’s no longer healthy and the extra calories aren’t helping her achieve her weight loss goals,” Sandon said.