New research suggests you should stop drinking if you’re under 40. Completely. According to a major new study, alcohol consumption poses significant health risks to young people. Researchers from the University of Washington’s Global Burden of Diseases found that a small amount of alcohol may benefit older adults.
Especially men may be at risk for health problems if they drink more than a beer daily. Men under 40 should not consume more than 0.136 drinks per day, while women in the same age group should consume no more than 0.273 drinks per day.
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Emmanuela Gakidou, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington, said, “Our message is simple. Young people should not drink, but older people may benefit from drinking small amounts.”
Drinking alcohol can limit stroke, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease risk in older adults without any underlying health conditions. Half a standard drink to almost two standard drinks a day was considered safe for those aged 40-64. Drinking more than three standard drinks daily increases health risks in people over 65.
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However, older adults should limit their alcohol intake to 1.87 standard daily drinks. The health risks increased after that level. This study reports alcohol risks by region, age, sex, and year for the first time. For men aged 15-39, who are most at risk of harmful alcohol consumption worldwide, the team recommended that alcohol consumption guidelines be based on age and location.
The recommended level of alcohol consumption for younger populations remains too high even if a conservative approach is taken and the lowest level of safe consumption is used, Dana Bryazka, lead author at the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, explained.
While it may not be realistic to expect young adults to abstain from drinking, Gakidou said that people should be informed about the latest evidence.