Heavy Drinkers Outlive Abstainers

Bad news for teetotalers: Drinking may be good for you, sort of. A new study suggests that drinkers, even heavy drinkers, tend to outlive those who abstain. "Moderate" drinkers, defined here as those who drink one to three glasses a day, were found to live longest, notes Time. The study followed 1,824 people between the ages of 55 and 65 for 20 years: In that time, 69% of those who never drank died, compared to 60% of heavy drinkers and 41% of moderate drinkers.

The findings are still a bit of a mystery. The benefits of a bit of booze are well known: improved heart health, circulation, and sociability. What's less clear, however, is why heavy drinkers (who are prone to cirrhosis and cancer) would outlive abstemious types.
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