Low-risk alcohol drinking limits based on associated mortality

Abstract

Background: Alcohol is associated with all-cause mortality increase. However, when this increase takes place has not been clearly established. The objective of this study was to establish the levels of alcohol consumption that can be considered low risk for overall mortality.

Methods: Systematic review of cohort studies published since 2014 that established a relationship between general mortality and alcohol consumption in the general population. Those studies not conducted in countries with Spain socio-cultural environment and those that present conflicts of interest were excluded.

Results: The median of alcohol consumption (in grams) from which mortality increased was 23-25 g/day.  Differentiating by sex, these values were 20 g/day in women and 24 g/day in men. The minimum value of the median from which an increase in mortality was observed was 17-21 g/day of alcohol; 12 g/day in women and 20 g/day in men.

Conclusions: If we take into account caution principle, taking more conservative levels of average alcohol consumption from which an increase in mortality was observed, low-risk consumption should be 20 g/day in men and 10 g/day in women, assuming that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.