Regular Alcohol Intake Can Help You Achieve Longevity, New Study Says

It’s official: Alcohol is good for your heath. A new study by researchers from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) found that regularly consuming alcohol in moderate amounts can help you live longer. According to the findings, drinking small amounts of alcoholic beverages at night, like wine or beer, can help a person live well into their 90s.

The research is part of “The 90+ Study” of the UCI, which is led by UCI neurology professor Claudia Kawas. Kawas and her research team analyzed 1,800 nanogenarians in a long-term study aimed at better understanding and explaining longevity. The participants’ habits and how those affected their health were recorded and analyzed.

It took the team 15 years to conduct the study and come up with the results.

According to the results, drinking roughly two glasses of wine or other types of alcohol regularly decreased the chance of early death by as much as 18% over those who actually abstained from drinking.

Kawas was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying:

“I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking is associated with longevity.”

The study also found that coffee intake can likewise help a person live longer.

According to the research, two cups of coffee a day helped individuals live longer than those who had more or less caffeine in their diet. Slightly overweight individuals who moderately consumed coffee and alcohol reduced their chances of dying early by three percent.

Regular exercise also contributed to longer life.

The study found that 15 to 45 minutes of regular exercise reduced the risk of dying at a young age by 11 percent. Meanwhile, spending two hours a day working on a hobby or craft lessened the risk of early death by as much as 21 percent.

While the above results have already been found, the study is still ongoing to uncover more contributing factors to a person’s longevity.