Social drinking can connect people — and also cause harm

When federal officials unveiled the government’s new dietary guidelines, Dr. Mehmet Oz said alcohol “brings people together.” The updated recommendations told Americans to drink “less” for better health but removed the previous caps of one drink a day for women and two for men, even though harms, including cancer risks, rise at very low levels.

Dr. Oz said alcohol is a “social lubricant” and later noted there were no data showing drinking contributes to health, adding the only benefit is that it “helps you enjoy time with your friends.” Laboratory research has often overlooked the social side of drinking.

Michael Sayette became intrigued after five strangers in a lab warmed up over drinks, and he later led a controlled study of 720 social drinkers that found those given alcohol talked more, smiled longer and scored higher on group-bonding measures; drinkers experienced more “golden moments,” marked by Duchenne smiles.

United States

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