Moderate drinking protects the heart
Moderate drinking does not protect the heart: any amount raises the risk of cancer and of death from any cause. The Global Burden of Disease 2018 analysis and Mendelian randomization studies (which use genes as a natural experiment) both rule out a J-shaped curve.
Why the claim spreads
The J-curve came from decades of observational studies that lumped people who quit drinking due to illness into the 'non-drinker' group — amplified by the 'French paradox' media wave and industry-funded research. It spreads because it makes a vice sound like self-care.
The mechanism, in brief
The alcohol in drinks is ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH). The body has no use for it and nowhere to store it, so once you drink it, it has to be cleared as fast as possible. The molecule is small and dissolves in both water and fat. It needs no digestion and no transporter to carry it: it passes straight through the cell membranes…
Sources (1)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2024). Alcohol Facts and Statistics. NIH NIAAA.