Moderate alcohol use may be of most benefit if you’re an older adult or if you have existing risk factors for heart disease. If you’re a middle-aged or younger adult, some evidence shows that even moderate alcohol use may cause more harm than good.

Examples of one drink include:

• Beer: 12 fluid ounces (355 milliliters)
• Wine: 5 fluid ounces (148 milliliters)
• Distilled spirits (80 proof): 1.5 fluid ounces (44 milliliters)

Guidelines for moderate alcohol use

If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.

Alcohol use can be a slippery slope. Moderate drinking can offer some health benefits. But heavy drinking can have serious consequences.

Overdoing it even once — yup, you read that right — can affect your health in freaky ways

Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol throughout your life can actually ward off cognitive decline and improve brain function

keep your bar tab under control and you might actually be doing your brain a favor.

Recent research also suggests that women who enjoy a little alcohol may be more likely to keep their minds sharp as they age.

Studies have shown that moderate drinking can raise levels of “good cholesterol,” which helps prevent harmful blood clots and helps keep blood flowing smoothly through our bodies, reducing risks of heart attack and stroke.

And, of course, drinking too much alcohol piles on the calories, which can lead to obesity and a higher risk for diabetes.