Alcohol is a common part of many people's lives, but what does science say about its impact on longevity? Excessive alcohol consumption can significantly reduce your lifespan by contributing to chronic diseases like liver disease, heart disease, and cancer. However, some claim that small amounts may actually boost health. So should you abstain completely or is moderation ok?

Research shows alcohol causes over 3 million deaths per year and reduces lifespan by 2.8 years on average. The more you drink, the higher the risk. But some studies have linked low to moderate drinking with lower mortality rates than non-drinkers. Does alcohol provide health benefits?

Unfortunately, it appears this reduced mortality is largely an illusion. Recent analyses show no significant boost to longevity when adjusting for pre-existing health differences between drinkers and non-drinkers. It seems moderate drinkers just tend to be healthier to start with.

While an occasional drink may not be too detrimental for most people, alcohol provides no real longevity benefits according to science. As a longevity purist, avoiding it altogether is ideal, though moderate consumption can be an acceptable trade-off. At most, limit it to 1-2 servings, avoiding daily consumption and drinking before bed.

The verdict? Any perks of alcohol for longevity appear minimal at best. Moderation is OK, but for maximizing your lifespan, consider leaving it out of your happy hour.