Is a Shot of Alcohol Every Day Good for You? The Uncomfortable Truth

October 29, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to health, directly challenging the notion that is a shot of alcohol every day good for you?. While moderate drinking was once believed to offer certain benefits, this perspective is increasingly being overturned by more robust research highlighting the significant and widespread risks, even at low doses.

Quick Summary

Despite popular myths, a daily shot of alcohol offers no proven health benefits and contributes to an increased risk of chronic diseases. Studies indicate that regular consumption, even in small amounts, can harm the liver, elevate cancer risk, and negatively affect mental and cardiovascular health.

Key Points

No Safe Amount: Leading health organizations, including the WHO and CDC, state there is no completely safe level of alcohol consumption.
Cancer Risk: Alcohol is a known human carcinogen, and regular consumption, even at low levels, increases the risk for several types of cancer.
Liver Damage: A daily shot of alcohol can lead to fatty liver, hepatitis, and irreversible cirrhosis over time.
Heart Harm: Despite old myths, new research shows that daily drinking can increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart damage.
Mental Health Impact: Alcohol is a depressant that can worsen anxiety and depression, and long-term use affects brain communication.
Nutritional Deficiencies: Alcohol adds empty calories while also hindering the body's ability to absorb vital nutrients, including B vitamins and minerals.

The Widespread Impact of Daily Alcohol Consumption

For decades, the media has perpetuated the idea that a daily drink could be beneficial for health. Older observational studies suggesting this have been critiqued for methodological flaws. A key issue was often the inclusion of former drinkers—who may have quit due to existing health problems—in the "abstainer" group, potentially skewing results. More recent and rigorous analysis reveals that the potential harms of daily alcohol intake generally outweigh any negligible or unproven benefits.

The Cascading Health Risks of Daily Alcohol Intake

The ethanol in alcoholic beverages is a toxic substance affecting multiple organ systems. The body prioritizes metabolizing alcohol, which can interfere with normal functions and lead to negative health outcomes.

Alcohol and Cancer: A Known Carcinogen

Both the National Cancer Institute and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classify alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen.

Increased Risk: The risk of certain cancers rises with the amount of alcohol consumed. Even one drink per day can increase the risk of breast cancer in women and head and neck cancers in both men and women.
Affected Cancers: Alcohol consumption is linked to increased risk of cancers including oral cavity, throat, esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal.

A Serious Toll on the Liver

The liver is particularly vulnerable to damage from regular alcohol intake due to the constant processing of ethanol and its toxic byproducts.

Fatty Liver: A common initial stage with fat buildup in the liver.
Alcoholic Hepatitis: Inflammation and destruction of liver cells from continued drinking.
Cirrhosis: Severe, irreversible scarring that impairs liver function, a life-threatening condition.

Cardiovascular and Metabolic Consequences

Recent scientific findings challenge older ideas about alcohol's heart benefits, suggesting that daily drinking can increase risks for certain heart conditions.

High Blood Pressure: Regular alcohol can raise blood pressure, a key risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
Cardiomyopathy: Heavy, long-term drinking can weaken the heart muscle.
Weight Gain: Alcohol contains significant calories (7 per gram) with no nutritional value and can contribute to weight gain and obesity, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Mental and Brain Health Effects

Alcohol is a depressant that can negatively impact mental health.

Worsened Anxiety and Depression: While offering temporary relief, alcohol's long-term effects can worsen feelings of anxiety and depression.
Disrupted Sleep: Alcohol interferes with sleep quality.
Brain Damage: Chronic heavy alcohol use can disrupt brain communication, affecting mood, memory, and cognition, and potentially leading to brain damage and dementia.

Nutrient Malabsorption

Beyond empty calories, alcohol impairs the body's ability to absorb essential nutrients by damaging the stomach and intestinal lining.

Vitamin B Deficiency: Alcohol hinders the absorption of B vitamins, including thiamine (B1), B12, and folate. Folate deficiency is linked to increased cancer risk.
Mineral Depletion: Alcohol can also lead to deficiencies in minerals like zinc, magnesium, and potassium.

Potential "Benefits" vs. Proven Risks


Feature	Potential (Now Contested) Benefits of Daily Shot of Alcohol	Proven Risks of Daily Shot of Alcohol
Cardiovascular System	Some older studies suggested slight increases in HDL ("good") cholesterol.	Increased risk of high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, stroke, and arrhythmias.
Cancer	None.	Increases risk of multiple cancers, including breast, liver, and colorectal, even at low levels.
Liver	None.	Causes fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
Weight Management	None.	Contributes significant empty calories, leading to weight gain.
Mental Health	None. May provide temporary relaxation, but leads to long-term issues.	Worsens anxiety and depression, disrupts sleep, and increases addiction risk.
Nutrient Absorption	None.	Impairs the absorption of crucial vitamins (B1, B12, folate) and minerals.

What This Means for Your Health

The current scientific consensus from major health organizations is that the safest amount of alcohol to consume is none. The evidence clearly shows alcohol's role as a risk factor for numerous diseases. While federal guidelines define moderate drinking as up to one drink per day for women and two for men, it's important to understand that even this level carries some risk, and the fewer alcohol-free days, the higher the risk. There are no health reasons to start drinking if you don't already.

Source for Further Reading: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) provides comprehensive information on alcohol's effects on the body and brain. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body

Frequently Asked Questions

No, red wine is not an exception. While it contains some antioxidants like resveratrol, extensive research, including recent meta-analyses, has found no evidence that drinking red wine reduces overall cancer risk or that its benefits outweigh the proven risks associated with alcohol.

The National Cancer Institute highlights that even one drink per day can modestly increase the risk for some cancers, particularly breast and head and neck cancers, compared to not drinking at all.

Yes, it is a significant risk factor for weight gain. A single alcoholic drink contains around 100-150 empty calories, and regular consumption can contribute to a caloric surplus that leads to weight gain and obesity over time.

While having alcohol-free days is a better choice than daily consumption, the overall risk of alcohol-related harm increases with the total amount consumed over time. The safest choice for overall health is to drink less, or not at all.

The initial stage of liver damage, fatty liver disease, often has no symptoms. As it progresses to hepatitis, you may experience nausea, pain, or fatigue. It is crucial not to wait for symptoms and to be mindful of your drinking habits.

Yes, regular alcohol consumption can interact dangerously with many medications, including antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. It can reduce their effectiveness or increase side effects. You should always consult a doctor if you are on medication and are considering consuming alcohol.

Healthier alternatives include engaging in physical activity, practicing mindfulness or meditation, spending time on hobbies, or talking to a friend, family member, or therapist. These methods provide genuine, non-toxic ways to cope with stress without the associated health risks of alcohol.