COVID-19 risk appears to vary across different alcoholic beverage consumption

Researchers from the Shenzhen Kangning Hospital and Southwest Hospital analysed 473,957 subjects from the UK Biobank. Cohort to investigate the associations of status, amount, and frequency of alcohol consumption across different alcoholic beverages with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk and associated mortality. 16,559 subjects tested positive for COVID-19.
Different alcoholic beverages were associated with different chances of COVID-19 infection. High consumption of red wine, white wine and champagne as well as low consumption of fortified wine were associated with a reduced risk of infection, whereas consumption of beer and cider, irrespective of frequency or quantity were associated with an increased risk.
The researchers suggest that polyphenol content which have an antioxidant properties may play a role in this. “In our study, the ingredients and concentration of polyphenol of alcohol beverages were not considered, and a study with more detail about the ingredients and concentration of polyphenol is needed in the future” the authors state.
The study concludes that COVID-19 risk appears to vary across different alcoholic beverage subtypes, frequency, and amount. Red wine, white wine, and champagne have chances to reduce the risk of COVID-19. Consumption of beer and cider and spirits and heavy drinking are not recommended during the epidemics. Public health guidance should focus on reducing the risk of COVID-19 by advocating healthy lifestyle habits and preferential policies among consumers of beer and cider and spirits, the authors say.
Harvey Finkel, MD, formerly Clinical Professor of Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Boston (retired) questioned the contribution of the research, commenting that the study focuses too narrowly on the differences among drinkers of various potables, but develops no indication of their susceptibility and behavior and milieu that would influence exposure to the virus.
Source: Dai Xi-jian, Tan Liang, Ren Lina, Shao Yuan, Tao Weiqun, Wang Yongjun, COVID-19 Risk Appears to Vary Across Different Alcoholic Beverages. Frontiers in Nutrition, vol 8, 2022.