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Put the barrel away. People under 40 should never consume alcohol because it offers them no health benefits while increasing their risk of injury and death, a new study suggests.
Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle found that people under 40 who drink alcohol are more likely to be injured in a car accident, suicide or murder than their peers who avoid alcohol.
However, for people over 40, drinking may have some benefit, as a glass of red wine every day can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke or diabetes.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 66 percent of U.S. adults consume alcohol each year, and five percent are heavy drinkers.
"Our message is simple: young people should not drink, but older people can benefit from drinking small amounts," said Dr. Emmanuela Gakidou in a statement.
Researchers who published their findings in the Lancet on Thursday collected data from over 200 countries for their Global Burden of Diseases study.
They compared alcohol consumption to 22 health conditions or outcomes, such as injuries, heart disease, cancer and more.
While the general public is likely aware of some of the dangers of alcohol - and particularly the damage it can cause to a person's liver - researchers set out to determine who experienced what levels of risk and under what conditions.
They found that around 1.3 billion people, or around 15 percent of the world's population, consumed harmful amounts of alcohol in 2020.
Almost three in five people who drank at risk were between the ages of 15 and 39 - age groups for which alcohol consumption is not recommended.
About 75 percent of this group were men.
The researchers found that people in this age group have nothing to gain from drinking and are most likely to harm themselves as a result of drinking alcohol.
However, there is a certain amount of leeway a person has when drinking before it can cause them long-term health damage.
Researchers found that a man aged 15 to 39 can drink an average of 0.136 drinks per day - or just under one drink per week - and not have to worry.
For women under 40, the tolerance increases to 0.273 per day, or just under two drinks per week.
Researchers found that people under 40 do not benefit from drinking and should avoid it altogether if possible (file photo)
Older people who drink red wine now and then may reduce their risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other diseases (file photo)
However, convincing younger people not to drink is a difficult task, particularly in the United States and across Europe, where alcohol is deeply rooted in younger cultures.
“Although it is not realistic to believe that young adults will give up drinking, we believe it is important to communicate the latest evidence so that everyone can make informed decisions about their health,” Gakidou said.
Older people have a better cushion when it comes to drinking and their health and can even benefit from a drink every now and then.
Researchers found that people ages 40 to 64 could drink up to two a day and maintain their health.
Older people, people over 65, can extend this to three drinks per day.
This difference arises from the potential health benefits of drinking for older people.
While teenagers have little to gain, older people who drink red wine generally have better heart and brain health than their peers.