The flip-flop on whether alcohol is good for you (2023)
Claims that moderate drinking is good for health are being re‑examined, with many commenters pointing to newer epidemiology and WHO guidance that suggest no level of alcohol is truly “safe,” even if absolute individual risks remain small. People weigh those medical risks against perceived social and psychological benefits, arguing over whether alcohol is a useful cultural “tool” and social lubricant or an addictive poison whose harms—violence, disease, dependency—far outweigh any upside. The thread broadens into skepticism about nutrition science in general, noting shifting guidelines, industry influence, and the powerful role of environment and culture in shaping both drinking habits and broader health behaviors.
Social function and subjective experience
- Many describe alcohol as a “social lubricant” that eases anxiety, deepens conversation, and helps people relax or celebrate, especially at weddings, big milestones, or with old friends.
- Others say alcohol is unnecessary for good socializing; they socialize fine sober and see drinking as cultural conditioning.
- Experiences differ sharply: some feel a pleasant buzz, creativity, or warmth; others only get sleepiness, cognitive dulling, or anxiety, and some feel nothing positive at all.
- Several note that the “better” version of themselves when drinking already exists without alcohol; they see alcohol as a shortcut to behaviors that can be trained.
Health risks, benefits, and evidence
- Multiple comments cite that “no level of alcohol consumption is safe” for physical health, with specific mention of cancer and cardiovascular risk.
- Others emphasize tiny absolute risks at the individual level versus large aggregate harms at population scale.
- Mendelian randomization studies are highlighted as key newer evidence undermining earlier “protective” narratives and helping explain the apparent flip‑flop.
- Personal stories of severe alcoholism (ICU stays, withdrawals, deaths) underscore that some people “can’t stop,” and early heavy use is depicted as a dangerous gamble.
- Some argue alcohol can reduce stress and indirectly support health through social connection; others counter that long‑term it worsens anxiety via GABA system effects.
Nutrition science and “flip‑flop” skepticism
- Many are skeptical of nutrition headlines in general, seeing long cycles of reversal (fat, carbs, wine, etc.), driven by weak observational studies, confounding, industry influence, and media clickbait.
- Others push back, arguing there is still meaningful consensus (e.g., on lipids and ApoB) and that dismissing all nutrition science is “relativity of wrong.”
Culture, policy, and morality
- Drinking is framed as deeply cultural: central in many European and East Asian settings, restricted but still present in Muslim societies, and often binary (binge vs abstain) in parts of the US.
- Some see alcohol as a historically important tool (preservation, hospitality, medicine, business), others as simply a socially entrenched poison.
- Religious views (Christian “gluttony,” Islamic abstinence) and prohibition history surface, with broad agreement that culture matters more than strict bans.
Behavior, environment, and moderation
- Several note their drinking rose or fell with the pandemic and social environment, often without explicit decisions, raising questions about personal agency.
- Some quit and report better sleep, less anxiety, but also social isolation in heavy‑drinking circles; others adopt low/no‑alcohol substitutes.
- A recurring theme: attempts to “min‑max” health versus accepting trade‑offs and aiming for moderation—while acknowledging that, for many, the truly “optimal” intake is zero.