Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 01, 2026 1 hour, 42 minutes ago
Medical News: Heart failure is a serious and growing health problem that affects millions of people worldwide, especially older adults. A new large-scale study involving US military veterans has now shed clearer light on how alcohol consumption may influence the risk of developing heart failure and its main subtypes. This
Medical News report explains the findings in simple terms, highlighting what levels of drinking may be harmful or potentially protective.
Light to moderate alcohol intake may lower heart failure risk while heavy drinking increases danger
Massive Veteran Study Examines Alcohol and Heart Health
The research was carried out using data from the VA Million Veteran Program, one of the largest health studies ever conducted among US veterans. The study followed 401,348 veterans who had no heart failure at the start of the research. Most participants were men, with an average age of 65 years. Researchers tracked them for an average of 6.4 years to see who developed heart failure.
The research team came from the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Collaborative at VA Boston Healthcare System, University of California Los Angeles, Corewell Health Michigan, Brown University, VA Providence Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Understanding Heart Failure and Its Types
Heart failure happens when the heart cannot pump blood effectively. There are two main types. One is heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, where the heart’s pumping strength is weakened. The other is heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, where the heart pumps normally but is too stiff to fill properly. Both conditions can cause breathlessness, fatigue, and swelling.
Light To Moderate Drinking Shows Lower Risk
The study found a clear J-shaped pattern between alcohol intake and heart failure risk. Veterans who drank small to moderate amounts of alcohol, roughly half to two drinks per day, had a lower risk of developing heart failure compared to people who never drank. The lowest risk was seen in those drinking between one and two drinks daily.
Researchers believe this may be linked to alcohol’s effects on blood vessels, inflammation, and certain hormones involved in heart function.
Heavy Drinking Raises Serious Concerns
In contrast, heavy drinking told a very different story. Veterans who consumed more than four drinks per day or had alcohol use disorder faced a significantly higher risk of heart failure. This increased risk was especially clear for the reduced ejection fraction type, which is often more severe and harder to manage.
Heavy alcohol use is known to damage heart muscle cells, increase oxidative stress, and disrupt normal heart rhythms, all of which can contribute to heart failure over time.
Beverage Type Did Not Matter
Interestingly, the study found no meaningful differen
ce between beer, wine, or liquor. Whether veterans preferred beer, wine, spirits, or a mix, the heart failure risk was driven by how much alcohol they drank, not the type.
Important Conclusions for Public Health
Overall, the findings suggest that while light to moderate alcohol intake may be linked to a lower risk of heart failure, heavier drinking clearly increases danger. The results do not mean that non-drinkers should start drinking for heart health, nor do they suggest alcohol is safe in large amounts. Individual health conditions, medications, and lifestyle factors remain crucial.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Nutrients.
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/3/471
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