As more scientific research comes to light about the harmful effects of drinking alcohol, it’s clear that having one too many during any one occasion could be putting your health at risk.
Now, a new study published February 7, 2025 in The American Journal of Preventive Cardiology is showing a troubling connection between excessive alcohol consumption and an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), particularly for women, but also for men. Let’s unpack the study’s findings and what you need to know to maintain healthy habits for your heart if you do decide to drink.
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Excessive Drinking Habits and Heart Disease
The researchers, led by Jamal S. Rana, MD, PhD, of The Permanente Medical Group in Oakland, California, set out “to examine the associations between unhealthy alcohol use and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) among women and men aged 18–65 years.” They were supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Over 432,000 U.S. adults with an average age of 43.5 were asked to self-report their weekly drinking habits.
The researchers categorized excessive drinking as more than 14 drinks per week for men and more than seven for women.
The results showed that, after a median follow-up of four years, those who drank above the recommended weekly limits had a 26% greater risk of developing CHD than moderate drinkers. When broken down by gender, women faced a 43% increased risk, while men had a 19% increased risk.
The researchers also looked at “heavy episodic drinking,” which they defined as drinking five or more alcoholic beverages for men and four or more for women for at least 1 day in the previous three months.
They found that those who both drank excessively on a weekly basis and engaged in heavy episodic drinking had an even higher risk of CHD: 30% for men and a whopping 61% for women.
“Our observation of higher risk of CHD associated with exceeding alcohol consumption limits among women may be partially explained by the fact that women, on average, tend to have smaller body sizes and lower alcohol tolerance, making them more susceptible to the harmful effects of alcohol at even moderate levels,” the study authors explained.
“These findings raise the question as to whether adopting absolute or equivalent limits of intake among women compared to men, a movement occurring in some countries, may confer higher health risks on women, particularly in light of the narrowing gap in alcohol-related deaths among women and men in the US,” they added.
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What This Means for You
This new research adds to a growing body of studies that support the theory that adults are at a higher risk of developing heart disease if they drink excessively.
Though the results highlighted a higher risk for women, the study authors urged that all sexes should stick to their recommended alcohol consumption limits, which was defined in the study as 1-14 drinks a week for men and 1-7 drinks per week for women.
In addition to adhering to these limits, you can also try these steps to monitor your drinking:
- Keep a record of how much you drink each week.
- Reduce binge drinking by spacing out alcoholic drinks with water—for every drink, have one glass of water.
- Do not exceed 5 drinks in one day for men, or four drinks in one day for women.
- If cutting back is challenging, consider talking to a doctor or joining a support group.
