On Monday, WebMD published an article about a study by Italian researchers that show that moderate drinking can prolong life. They suggest that moderate drinkers are 18% less likely to die of any cause than heavy drinkers or people who don’t drink at all. Unsurprisingly, they also conclude that heavy drinking increases the risk of death, and that the more one drinks, the higher the risk of death. (See also: MedPage Today.)

Moderate drinking is defined as two to four drinks a day for men, one to two drinks a day for women.

The researchers used the data from 34 different studies in Europe, Australia, China, Japan, and the U.S. Over 1 million people were part of those studies, some as long as 26 years.

They also note that other studies have linked moderate drinking to heart benefits. This study looked at all causes of death.

They are careful to note, however, that people who don’t drink shouldn’t start drinking for health benefits, or that light drinkers should increase consumption.

(via Days That End in Y)