The exact number of drinks over-40s should have each week to boost their health revealed
MODERATE boozing can boost health in the over-40s, scientists reckon.
They found those enjoying three to four drinks a week saw their risk of illness fall by more than five per cent compared to teetotallers.
Experts said sensible alcohol consumption in this age group can cut the chances of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Previous analysis by the same scientific group in 2018 sparked controversy after claiming no booze at all was best for health.
But the latest report in the Lancet finds middle-aged adults can safely enjoy up to two drinks a day.
And for the over-70s the booze limit is even more, with three small glasses of wine or bottles of beer daily fine for health.
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But it is bad news for young adults, with experts warning boozing puts them at a higher risk of injuring themselves.
Anything more than a drink a week for men under 40 raised their risk of harm, while for young women it was a maximum of two.
Researcher Dr Emmanuela Gakidou, of Washington University’s School of Medicine, said: “Our message is simple: young people should not drink, but older people may benefit from drinking small amounts.”
It is the first study to look at alcohol risk by geographical region, age, sex, and year. And the findings suggest advice should be tailored on age groups.
British adults are currently advised to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, roughly six pints of beer or ten small glasses of wine.
A separate study in PLOS Medicine claims drinking more than seven drinks a week raises the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
