How much alcohol is too much?

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans still give the same recommendation but note that “emerging evidence suggests that even drinking within the recommended limits may increase the overall risk of death from various causes.” The CDC now states that even low amounts of alcohol (less than 1 drink a day) increase the risk for cancer. In addition, past research suggested moderate alcohol intake reduced heart disease risk while newer studies do not show this protective effect.