Low alcohol intake associated with low all-cause mortality and better survival
Among regular consumers of alcoholic beverages in the Zutphen Study, average alcohol intake increased from 8 g/d in 1960 to 18 g/d in 1985 and then decreased to 13 g/d in 2000. All-cause mortality during 40 years of follow-up was 25% lower in men who drank less than 20 g alcohol per day and on average 6 g/d compared to non-drinkers. Men average aged 50 with a long-term regular alcohol intake of 20 g/d or less, had a 2.3 years longer life expectancy than those who did not use alcohol.
Wine drinkers had the best life expectancy
The life expectancy of wine drinkers (average age 50, average alcohol intake 2 g/d) was 4.7 years longer compared to those who did not use alcohol. For those who consumed on average 8 g/d alcohol as beer or spirits the difference in life expectancy from non-alcohol drinkers was 2.2 years.
