According to a new study, even light alcohol consumption may increase cancer mortality among older adults, especially those with pre-existing health conditions or from low-income backgrounds.

The research, which tracked more than 135,000 individuals in Britain aged 60 and older for a span of 12 years, contradicts the widespread notion that moderate drinking benefits heart health.

The findings showed no reduction in heart disease deaths among light or moderate drinkers compared to occasional drinkers, regardless of their health or economic status, the New York Times reports.

Light drinking was categorized as an average intake of up to 20 grams of alcohol daily for men and up to 10 grams for women. For context, a standard drink in the U.S. contains about 14 grams of alcohol.

“We did not find evidence of a beneficial association between low drinking and mortality,” an assistant professor at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and lead author of the study published in JAMA Network Open, Rosario Ortolá, told the Times. She further noted that alcohol might increase cancer risk “from the first drop.”

The study contributes to the growing body of evidence challenging the previously accepted health benefits of alcohol consumption. Researchers are now employing new methodologies to reassess these claims, moving away from comparing drinkers with abstainers, many of whom gave up alcohol due to severe health issues. Such comparisons might have previously made light drinkers appear healthier by contrast.

The publication of this study comes amidst ongoing debates about official alcohol consumption guidance in the U.S. Two scientific panels are investigating the relationship between alcohol and health. The new findings will inform the forthcoming update of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which recommends moderation — one drink a day for women and two for men.

Alcohol consumption has been on the rise in the U.S., with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting a nearly 30 percent increase in deaths from excessive alcohol use between 2016-17 and 2020-21.

Globally, a more cautious stance is being adopted for guidelines due to alcohol’s potential connection to cancer and doubts about its cardiovascular benefits. Notably, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction recently advised that no amount of alcohol is beneficial to health, warning that even minimal consumption can be harmful.