A recent federal analysis of alcohol's health effects has cast doubt on the previously held belief that moderate drinking offers significant benefits. The report, issued this week, indicates that even one drink per day can increase the risk of liver cirrhosis, esophageal cancer, oral cancer, and various types of injuries for both men and women. Notably, women are at a higher risk of developing liver cancer but have a lower risk of diabetes compared to men. Additionally, while daily light drinking reduces the likelihood of blood clot strokes, occasional heavy drinking negates these potential advantages.

The document, prepared by an external scientific review panel under the Department of Health and Human Services, is part of two assessments influencing the upcoming U.S. Dietary Guidelines update. For decades, the government has recommended a limit of two standard drinks per day for men and one for women. However, this recommendation may be reconsidered in light of new findings.

In December, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reviewed data supporting moderate drinking as linked to fewer heart attack and stroke deaths, and overall lower mortality rates compared to abstaining from alcohol. Yet, some experts argue that the risks of moderate drinking, especially concerning cancer, have been understated. According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the leading cause of death among people under 85.

In 2020, during the last dietary guidelines review, scientific advisers proposed lowering the recommendation to one drink daily for both genders. This advice did not make it into the final guidelines. The National Academies' analysis connected moderate drinking in women with a slight but significant rise in breast cancer risk, though insufficient evidence tied alcohol to other cancers.

This month, the U.S. Surgeon General, citing growing scientific evidence, called for alcohol labels to include cancer warnings similar to those on cigarettes. The latest report underscores that any level of alcohol consumption increases cancer risk, which rises with higher drinking levels. Drinking is associated with a higher risk of death from seven types of cancer, including breast, colorectal, liver, and cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus. Both sexes face these health risks, but women are more prone to developing alcohol-linked cancers.

The report emphasizes that the risk of dying from alcohol-related conditions begins at low levels of average use. Higher consumption levels correlate with progressively greater mortality risks. Individuals who consume over seven drinks weekly face a one in 1,000 chance of dying from an alcohol-related condition. This risk escalates to one in 100 for those consuming more than nine drinks per week.