Alcoholic abstinence: the scholar advises no more than one glass of wine per year.

After a long, stressful day, sometimes you just want to uncork a bottle of wine, writes the Daily Mail. However, not all scientists view this indulgence lightly. In fact, some take a rather stern stance even on moderate alcohol consumption.

According to Professor David Nutt, a leading researcher on drug effects at Imperial College London, the human body can safely handle just one large glass of wine once every 12 months. He argues that alcohol is far too toxic, and if it were discovered today, it would not meet modern food safety standards due to its harmful effects on the human body.

The expert states that research on the toxicity of alcohol—specifically, the adverse effects of chemicals on the body—has shown that the maximum annual dose of alcohol should not exceed one large glass of wine. Professor Nutt also claims that alcohol is responsible for the highest number of deaths.

What Do Other Scientists Say?

In recent decades, researchers have repeatedly found a link between moderate red wine consumption and improved heart health.

However, a large-scale study published in The Lancet Public Health in 2018 concluded that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. The authors of the study asserted that the risk of developing cancer and other diseases from alcohol consumption outweighs any potential positive effects.

Commenting on the research, Professor David Spiegelhalter from the University of Cambridge expressed skepticism about these findings. He stated, “There is no safe level of driving, but the government doesn’t recommend that people avoid driving. If you think about it, there’s no safe level of living either, but no one advises against that.”

Experts from the World Health Organization agree with Professor Nutt’s view that there is no safe dose of alcohol. However, the WHO has established a different guideline for alcohol consumption that should not be exceeded. According to the organization’s researchers, men should not consume more than 21-35 alcoholic drinks per week (210-350 ml of ethanol), while women should limit themselves to 14-21 drinks (140-210 ml of ethanol). To put this in perspective, one drink contains 250 ml of beer at 5% alcohol or 125-150 ml of dry wine (9-11%).