Reducing booze intake can reduce blood pressure, heart disease risk even in light drinkers

One less vino with the girls could make a meaningful change to the risk of heart disease long-term, new research has revealed.

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and alcohol is known to raise blood pressure.

The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association’s 2025 high blood pressure guideline recommends limiting alcohol intake to one or fewer drinks (12–14g) daily for women and two or fewer drinks daily for men.

The Australian Heart Foundation recommends the same, noting that “after a few drinks, your blood pressure will spike temporarily, and regular heavy drinking can lead to a long-term blood pressure increase”.

Researchers from the Institute of Science in Tokyo set out to determine if changes in alcohol consumption would have any