[When can you recommend one or two glasses of wine? A little alcohol can increase longevity, but a reliable dosage limit is not available].

The complex damage to health caused by chronic alcohol consumption is evident, and has major consequences both for the individual and society. Besides this relevant health impairment through excessive alcohol use, however, regular moderate use of alcohol has been shown to have various health benefits. In a number of large clinical studies it has been shown that regular moderate consumption of alcohol has a positive influence on overall mortality and can significantly reduce both the primary and secondary incidence and mortality of coronary heart disease. This cardioprotective effect is due primarily to the alcohol itself, since no preferential effect of a particular type of alcoholic beverage has been shown to date. Although a cardioprotective and life-prolonging effect has been shown to be associated with regular moderate use of alcohol, a global recommendation in favor of regular moderate drinking is nevertheless not justifiable at present, because of the well-known considerable risks and potential health hazard associated with drinking.