Balancing the risks and benefits of moderate drinking.

The risks of excessive alcohol intake are well known, and heavy drinkers should decrease their intake or stop drinking. On the other hand, in comparison with non-drinkers, moderate drinkers are at much lower risk of cardiovascular disease and certain other diseases and have lower total mortality. Thus, middle-aged or older men and post-menopausal women with no contraindications to alcohol use should be informed that they have, on average, net health benefits from the regular consumption of small-to-moderate amounts of alcohol.