Study Finds Wine Drinkers Face Lower Heart Disease Risk Than Beer or Spirits Consumers

A new study analyzing data from more than 340,000 adults has found that the type of alcoholic beverage consumed may influence health risks, particularly regarding heart disease and overall mortality. The research, which will be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session, used information from the UK Biobank collected between 2006 and 2022. Participants were grouped by their alcohol intake, measured in grams of pure alcohol per day and per week, and followed for an average of over 13 years.

The study found that heavy drinkers faced significantly higher health risks compared to those who never or only occasionally drank alcohol. Specifically, heavy drinkers were 24% more likely to die from any cause, 36% more likely to die from cancer, and 14% more likely to die from heart disease. However, at lower levels of consumption, the type of alcohol made a difference. People who drank spirits, beer, or cider—even at low or moderate levels—had a 9% higher risk of death compared to non-drinkers. In contrast, moderate wine drinkers had a 21% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Zhangling Chen, the study’s senior author, noted that these results come from the general population and that people with chronic diseases or existing cardiovascular conditions could face even higher risks. Chen explained that the findings help clarify previous mixed evidence about low to moderate alcohol consumption and suggest that both the amount and type of alcohol matter for health outcomes.

Researchers believe that compounds found in wine, such as polyphenols and antioxidants, may contribute to its association with lower risk. Wine is also often consumed with meals and by people who tend to have healthier diets. In contrast, beer, cider, and spirits are more commonly linked to poorer diet quality and other lifestyle risk factors. Chen said that these factors—type of alcohol, how it is consumed, and associated lifestyle behaviors—all play a role in the observed differences in mortality risk.

Despite these findings, the study has limitations. It is observational and cannot prove cause and effect. Alcohol intake was self-reported at the start of the study without accounting for changes over time. Additionally, participants in the UK Biobank tend to be healthier and wealthier than the general population, which may limit how widely the results apply. Researchers say randomized trials would be needed to better understand the true effects of different types of alcohol.

This research adds to growing evidence about the risks associated with alcohol consumption. Last year, a study published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine involving around 560,000 people in the UK and US found that greater alcohol consumption was linked to a higher risk of dementia. Stephen Burgess, a statistician at the University of Cambridge involved in that research, stated that increased alcohol intake leads to higher dementia risk for those who choose to drink.

Another previous study using brain scans showed that drinking even one or two units of alcohol per day was associated with reductions in brain volume and changes in brain structure—factors linked to memory loss and dementia.

The new findings highlight ongoing concerns about alcohol’s impact on health and suggest that public health guidance may need to consider not just how much people drink but also what they choose to drink.