What Do Experts Say About Alcohol? The Evolving Consensus on Health Risks

December 18, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the World Health Organization, worldwide, approximately 2.6 million deaths were caused by alcohol consumption in 2019. This grim statistic underscores the serious public health concerns that now define what do experts say about alcohol and its effects on the body.

Quick Summary

Modern scientific consensus, including reports from the WHO and Stanford Medicine, now indicates there is no truly safe level of alcohol consumption, contrary to past assumptions. Risks, particularly for cancer, begin with the first drink and accumulate over time, and the potential benefits of moderate drinking have been widely debunked.

Key Points

No Safe Level: The World Health Organization (WHO) and other top experts state there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for overall health.
Outdated Beliefs: The idea that moderate drinking offers significant health benefits, particularly for the heart, is now considered largely outdated and misleading by experts.
Carcinogen: Alcohol is a known Group 1 carcinogen, linked to multiple types of cancer, with risk increasing with the amount consumed.
Systemic Harm: Alcohol negatively impacts virtually every organ system, including the brain, liver, heart, and immune system, even at lower levels of consumption.
Personalized Risk: The health risks of drinking vary by individual based on factors like genetics, age, gender, and pre-existing conditions.
Less is Better: For those who choose to drink, modern guidelines and expert consensus emphasize that reducing consumption to the lowest possible level is the safest strategy.

The Shift in Expert Opinion: Beyond the 'Healthy Moderate Drink'

Expert consensus on alcohol has dramatically shifted. The long-held belief that moderate alcohol consumption, particularly red wine, offered cardiovascular benefits has been largely debunked by more robust modern research. Experts now widely state that the idea of 'healthy' drinking is outdated and misleading. The World Health Organization (WHO) explicitly states that no level of alcohol consumption is safe and that associated risks significantly outweigh any questionable benefits. Older studies suggesting benefits often compared moderate drinkers to abstainers who may have quit due to existing health issues, skewing results. Newer research accounts for these factors, showing no such benefit.

Alcohol and Cancer: A Group 1 Carcinogen

Alcohol's link to cancer is well-established by experts. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, like asbestos and tobacco. Cancer risk increases with each drink, and recent data shows even light to moderate drinking contributes to alcohol-attributable cancers. Alcohol is metabolized into acetaldehyde, which damages DNA, increasing cancer risk. Individuals with a specific genetic variant, common in people of East Asian descent, are at higher risk due to inefficient acetaldehyde processing.

Alcohol-Linked Cancers

Head and Neck: Strongly linked to alcohol use.
Esophageal: Risk for squamous cell carcinoma is significantly increased.
Breast: Even one drink daily can modestly increase risk for women.
Liver: The liver, where alcohol is metabolized, is highly susceptible to damage and cancer.
Colorectal: Associated with increased risk.

Systemic Damage: Alcohol's Effect on the Body

Experts emphasize that alcohol harms nearly every organ system, not just the liver. Heavy or excessive use is linked to numerous long-term health problems.

Organ-Specific Effects

Brain and Nervous System: Disrupts brain communication, affecting mood, behavior, coordination, and increasing stroke risk. Long-term use can cause peripheral neuropathy and memory problems.
Heart and Circulatory System: Chronic heavy drinking weakens heart muscle, increases blood pressure and irregular heartbeat, and raises risk for other heart issues.
Liver: Highly vulnerable; heavy drinking can lead to fatty liver, hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
Immune System: Weakened by excessive drinking, increasing susceptibility to infections like pneumonia.
Gastrointestinal System: Irritates the digestive tract, potentially causing a 'leaky gut' and increased inflammation.

Comparing Modern vs. Outdated Views on Alcohol


Feature	Outdated Public Perception	Modern Expert Consensus
Heart Health	Moderate consumption (especially red wine) protects against heart disease.	Potential benefits were overstated; lifestyle factors likely responsible. Risks now considered to outweigh benefits.
Cancer Risk	Low or moderate drinking is not a significant cancer risk.	All levels of drinking increase cancer risk; alcohol is a known carcinogen.
'Safe' Amount	A small amount of alcohol is harmless, or even beneficial.	There is no safe level; any amount carries some risk, especially for cancer.
Who Should Abstain?	Primarily recovering alcoholics.	Pregnant women, those on certain medications, individuals with specific health conditions, and anyone who cannot control their drinking.

Navigating Modern Guidelines and Personal Choice

Public health guidelines are adapting to the evolving scientific understanding. U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting intake to 1 drink or less daily for women and 2 or less for men, emphasizing not starting to drink for health reasons. Countries like Canada have adopted stricter guidelines, suggesting no more than two drinks per week. The WHO states no amount is truly safe.

The decision to drink is personal, requiring consideration of risks. Accessing accurate scientific information is vital. Factors like family history of alcoholism or cancer, genetics, age, and existing health conditions are important. If you choose to drink, understanding the risks and minimizing consumption aligns with current expert advice. Lower intake correlates with lower health risks.

Conclusion

Expert consensus on alcohol has dramatically shifted. What some once saw as a potentially beneficial moderate habit is now widely recognized as a substance with significant health risks, even at low levels. For cancer prevention, abstaining is the safest choice. For those who drink, understanding the harms and minimizing consumption is the most prudent approach based on current evidence. The less alcohol consumed, the lower the health risks.

Visit the NIAAA for more information on alcohol's effects on the body

Frequently Asked Questions

Experts now widely believe that past studies suggesting heart benefits from moderate drinking were flawed. Newer, more robust research indicates that any potential cardiovascular benefit is outweighed by the increased risk of other serious conditions, especially cancer.

When the body breaks down ethanol (the alcohol in beverages), it produces acetaldehyde, a toxic compound that damages DNA. This DNA damage can lead to the development of various cancers over time, including those of the mouth, throat, breast, and liver.

Several groups should avoid alcohol entirely, including pregnant women, people under 21, individuals taking medications that interact with alcohol, those with certain medical conditions, and anyone recovering from or struggling with alcohol use disorder.

Yes, public health guidelines are becoming more conservative based on recent evidence. While some U.S. guidelines still mention moderate limits, they emphasize not starting to drink for health reasons. Other countries are recommending even lower weekly consumption limits.

No, experts say that the type of alcoholic beverage—be it wine, beer, or liquor—does not change the fundamental risk. The ethanol itself causes the harm, and the risks start from the very first drop, regardless of the drink's quality or type.

Alcohol is a depressant that can worsen mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, especially in individuals who use it as a coping mechanism. While it may provide short-term relief, the long-term effects can be harmful.

The total volume and pattern of drinking are the primary risk factors. The more you drink, and the more often you engage in heavy or binge drinking, the higher your risk of developing alcohol-related harms and chronic diseases.