A large UK study found that, among people who drank alcohol at lower levels, wine consumption was associated with lower mortality while beer and spirits were associated with higher death risk. The findings matter because they suggest the type of alcoholic drink may be linked with health outcomes, although they do not prove that wine itself reduces the risk of death.

Researchers analysed data from 340,924 UK Biobank participants collected between 2006 and 2022, with an average follow-up of more than 13 years. Heavy drinking is already known to increase mortality risk, and experts cautioned that apparent benefits linked with wine should be interpreted carefully because lifestyle and other factors may contribute.