The beneficial side of moderate alcohol use.

Accumulating data indicate that the moderate use of alcoholic beverages by adults may reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, improve the quality of life of the elderly, relieve stress, and contribute to nutrition. Published evidence in each of these areas is critically examined. Based on the identification of levels of ethanol intake, below which adverse effects on health are rarely observed, the following upper limits of moderate drinking are proposed: 0.8 g/kg body weight (and an absolute limit of 80 g) on any day, and an average of 0.7 g/kg per day for any three-day period. Documentation, however, is at present inadequate to exclude the possibility that such levels of intake may impair driving by youths and young adults and pose risk to the fetus. Data presented should not be regarded as contradicting the evidence that excessive drinking is harmful to health and that alcoholics, as a rule, should beware of alcohol consumption at any level.