Because a beer is not a beer. A new study has come to the conclusion that alcohol can cause many health problems, especially in the first half of life. The authors of the study therefore advise people under the age of 40 not to drink at all.
It is well known that alcohol in large quantities is dangerous. Studies are appearing again and again, according to which small amounts can even be health-promoting. However, an international team of researchers has now discovered that none of these positive effects occur in younger people.
Around 1.34 billion people worldwide consumed harmful amounts of alcohol in 2020 – this is the conclusion of the analysis by “Global Burden of Disease” (GBD). Of these, 1.03 billion were men, 0.312 billion were women.
GBD is a project involving Harvard University and the World Health Organization, among others. Researchers have set themselves the task of quantifying deaths, diseases, disabilities and the risk factors for them. In a study published in the journal The Lancet, they determined the connection between alcohol consumption and certain health consequences, including, for example
To do this, they analyzed data on the 2020 global burden of disease for men and women aged 15 to 95 from over 200 countries and regions. They found that there are differences depending on the region, but also on age.
The researchers concluded that for young adults aged 15 to 39, alcohol consumption has no health benefits and instead only poses health risks. According to the scientists, young men are particularly at risk. Among those who consumed harmful amounts of alcohol in 2020 were
“Although the risks associated with alcohol use are similar for men and women, young men stood out as the group with the highest levels of harmful alcohol use. This is because a larger proportion of men than women consume alcohol and their average consumption level is also significantly higher,” explains study leader Emmanuela Gakidou. “Our message is simple: Young people shouldn’t drink.”
According to the researchers, the situation is somewhat more relaxed for adults over 40 years of age. Consuming a small amount, i.e. between one and two 100 ml glasses of red wine, can even have health benefits. For example, this could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes. “Elderly people may benefit from drinking small amounts,” said study leader Gakidou.
Based on their results, the study authors are calling for existing guidelines on alcohol consumption to be revised. Because in many existing rules, the recommended level of alcohol consumption for young people is too high. A particular focus should be on men under the age of 40, who are the most likely to consume alcohol in harmful amounts.
The scientists recommend the following as safe amounts of alcohol for people aged 15 to 39 before they risk damaging their health:
The researchers defined a drink with 10 grams of pure alcohol as the standard drink. So actually the recommended amounts mean for men
per day.
For women, the recommendation was slightly higher. She was with them
per day.
The amounts of alcohol that exclude a health risk are therefore minimal. In conclusion, the researchers emphasize, “While it’s not realistic to think that young adults will stop drinking, we think it’s important to communicate the latest evidence so everyone can make informed decisions about their health.”
The recommendations of the researchers, especially for men, are significantly lower than those given by the German Society for Nutrition (DGE). Although this warns of the individual risk, it gives the following guideline values.
According to the DGE, 20 grams of alcohol apply to healthy men, i.e
as harmless.
On the other hand, according to the DGE, 10 grams of alcohol apply to healthy women, i.e
as harmless.
The DGE values are also in contrast to the study result, which shows that women can consume more alcohol than men before health damage can be expected.
