Alcoholics Anonymous’ Big Book touts about a 50% success rate, stating that another 25% remain sober after some relapses. A study conducted by AA in 2014 showed that 27% of the more than 6,000 members who participated in the study were sober for less than a year.

A full 50% of respondents had been sober more than five years (up from 48% in ’01); 24%, 15 years; and 26%, less than one year. Over 8% of the respondents were under 30 years old, with 1.5% under 20; 4.8% of the membership is over 70 years of age.

Excessive alcohol use is responsible for more than 95,000 deaths in the United States each year, or 261 deaths per day.

The number of serious recovery attempts ranged from 0-100, with 50% of people (median) needing only 2, and an average of 5. Approximately 13% of the sample reported not making any “serious” recovery attempts.

“Many people can and do recover from alcoholism,” says NIAAA director Ting-Kai Li, MD, in a news release. The news comes from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). More than 43,000 American adults aged 18-24 took part in the 2001-2002 study.

Anything exceeding that could be considered unhealthy. For example, if drinking every night leads to more frequent consumption or the inability to cut back, this could be the early signs of alcoholism or alcohol dependence.

Drinking too much puts you at risk for some cancers, such as cancer of the mouth, esophagus, throat, liver and breast. It can affect your immune system. If you drink every day, or almost every day, you might notice that you catch colds, flu or other illnesses more frequently than people who don’t drink.

Red wine. When it comes to a healthier alcohol, red wine is top of the list. Red wine contains antioxidants, which can protect your cells from damage, and polyphenols, which can promote heart health. White wine and rose contain those too, just in smaller quantities.

Single malt whiskies contain more ellagic acid than red wine. Jim Swan, who, granted, is a consultant to the drinks industry, reported that whiskey contains more ellagic acid (a free-radical fighting antioxidant) than red wine. “There has been much in the news about the health benefits of antioxidants in red wine.

Consuming alcohol will not destroy the virus, and its consumption is likely to increase the health risks if a person becomes infected with the virus. Alcohol (at a concentration of at least 60% by volume) works as a disinfectant on your skin, but it has no such effect within your system when ingested.

So what’s the verdict? Alcohol consumption can lead to some immediate damage to the gut, with greater damage seen at higher concentrations. In theory a high enough alcohol concentration with sufficient exposure to gut or oral tissue could kill bacteria but will in all likelihood also damage the gut lining.

Excessive alcohol intake can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure or stroke. Excessive drinking can also contribute to cardiomyopathy, a disorder that affects the heart muscle.

It’s heart-healthy. Vodka can increase blood-flow and circulation in your body which can prevent clots, strokes, and other heart diseases. Vodka can also help lower your cholesterol. And, for those watching their weight, it’s also generally considered a lower-calorie alcohol.