New research has found that there may not be a 'safe' level of alcohol consumption, which could be alarming news for many.

If there's ever been a time to ignore scientific findings, this might be it. A groundbreaking new study published in The Lancet has determined that no level of alcohol consumption is considered safe or recommended.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, analyzed data from 28 million individuals across 115 countries between 1990 and 2016. Unlike earlier studies, this research combined self-reported alcohol intake with alcohol sales data to assess drinking patterns. Among the findings, it was revealed that consuming one alcoholic beverage daily raises the risk of developing alcohol-related health issues by 0.5 percent within a year, compared to abstaining. Alcohol-related health issues ranged from cancer and tuberculosis to accidents and falls.

While this might seem like a small increase, researcher Sonia Saxena from Imperial College, and co-author of the paper, explains that when applied to a population like the UK's, it represents a significant health concern. 'One drink a day does represent a small increased risk,' she told the BBC, 'but when scaled to the entire UK population, it becomes a much larger issue, especially since many people don't stick to just one drink daily.'

Drinking two alcoholic beverages daily raises the likelihood of health issues by 7 percent compared to non-drinkers. At five drinks per day, the risk jumps to 37 percent.

The findings challenge long-held assumptions about alcohol, including the belief that moderate drinking can help prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and other health conditions. The researchers concluded that the risks associated with alcohol consumption outweigh any potential health benefits.

It could be argued that there is no entirely risk-free activity, whether driving, walking, or simply living. Researchers not involved in the study have pointed out that the study's findings represent a slight increase in risk when weighed against the benefits and personal enjoyment that drinking alcohol may offer.