Does the type of alcohol matter for your heart? A large new analysis suggests it might — while underlining that no amount of drinking is clearly “good for you.”
Presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 2026 meeting, the study tracked 340,924 UK adults from the UK Biobank for an average of more than 13 years. At low-to-moderate intake, wine drinkers had a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular death, while drinkers of spirits, beer and cider had a 9% higher risk. Heavy drinking of any type was worse across the board: 24% higher all-cause mortality, 36% higher cancer-death risk and 14% higher heart-disease-death risk.
Why wine might differ
Researchers point to red wine’s polyphenols and antioxidants, and to the fact that wine is often drunk with meals and alongside healthier overall diets, while beer and spirits tend to track with poorer diets and riskier behaviors.
The big caveat
This is an observational study — it can show associations but cannot prove that wine causes lower risk or that beer causes higher risk. Alcohol intake was self-reported at the start and didn’t capture later changes, and UK Biobank participants tend to be healthier than average. The findings “help clarify previously mixed evidence,” senior author Zhangling Chen said — but they are not a green light to drink.
This article summarizes an observational study and is not medical advice. It is not a recommendation to drink alcohol; talk to a healthcare professional about your own risks.