When you go to a gas station, you see “unleaded gasoline.” Why there was lead in the first place?

In the 1920s, General Motors began adding tetraethyl lead to gasoline to reduce engine knock. The risks were already suspected. Health officials and even internal company chemists warned of toxicity. Still, it was marketed as a breakthrough. Over the next 50 years, leaded fuel contaminated the air, soil, and water. By the 1970s, pediatricians were reporting widespread cognitive impairment in children. Blood lead levels were researched and directly correlated with lower IQ and behavioral issues. This finally triggered a global phaseout.

The U.S. banned leaded gasoline in cars in 1996—almost 20 years later. Even though the data was pretty obvious (lead is very bad for humans, and has no benefits) the last country stopped selling it in 2021, just a few years ago. Similar things happened with cigarettes, and now we are starting to see with microplastics. But human progress and society change is slow, taking decades.

Now we’re learning the same about alcohol. The science is shifting. What was once normal is now clearly harmful. It may take the world decades to catch up—but we don’t have the luxury of 50 more years to wait.

We're starting early, with our members and ourselves.

The new studies

For decades epidemiologists drew a J-shaped curve—one drink a day seemed cardioprotective. However, that turned out to be an artifact of bad data and counfounding variables rather than an actual effect. A 4.8-million-person meta-analysis in JAMA Network Open (2023) found no significant survival benefit below 25 g/day.

Even we made this mistake. In our original Alcohol Guide (published in 2021), these studies were quoted and one drink a day was posted as a safe limit. Now we are realizing—based on data within Gyroscope measuring the Health Score changes when people drink, as well as new studies and research posted—that actually zero is the optimal amount, and even one drink has a lot of negative impact.

The old studies just measured things like disease rates in population, but now we can have realtime measuremenst of every part of your body from glucose to brain activity, and truly understand the impact of every action. With alcohol, the new data is here and it is now quite obvious—lower sleep scores, less focus and productivity, increased bodyfat, and lots of other problems arise from daily usage. What was once considered a healthy habit, with common myths like “a glass of red wine is good for you” is now being understood as actually harmful for longevity, and counter to most people’s goals.

Reflecting this, the WHO’s 2023 declared “no level of alcohol consumption is safe for health.” People are starting to notice, and society is starting to change slowly.

It is no longer cool, especially among gen-Z or anyone who listens to the Huberman podcast. Many people have stopped entirely, or drink a lot less than previous years. Most bars and restaurants now have a mocktails section instead of just alcoholic drinks.

My Story

(by Gyroscope CEO, Anand Sharma)

Earlier this year, we added a small feature to Gyroscope—a simple counter showing how long it had been since your last drink.

One of our members in a recovery community suggested we add it alongside the fasting timer and workout timer, where tracking streaks is a big part of the process and valuable metric to keep an eye on.

Since Food XRAY detects alcohol along with many other ingredients, it is actually possible to automatically detect it and keep the timer up to date.

I didn’t think I needed it, but found it surprisingly useful this year. I didn’t feel that much of an urge to drink, but there were definitely times where I was on the fence. At a restaurant or dinner. Then I remembered it would reset my countdown, and it just didn’t feel special enough to be worth it.

I got pretty far—about 120 days without drinking according to the app. And I didn’t really miss it.

Then, one night last week at dinner at a new restaurant, the waiter brought out a complimentary “welcome cocktail” we didn’t even order. A small mezcal-based drink. It tasted pretty good, but the next day, my streak was reset to “0 days.”

It wasn’t the end of the world. I still got pretty good sleep, and my Health Score maybe just went down by 0.1 points.

But it was a good reminder: even if you don’t seek it out, alcohol is everywhere. A good preview of the issue many of our users face when they are trying to lose bodyfat or fix their health.

It sneaks into dinners, celebrations, casual hangouts.

You don’t always choose it—sometimes it just shows up.

And that’s what made me want to write this.

Many of our users are already struggling with their health, or want to lose fat effectively.

And one of the most common things really holding people back or sabotaging their lifespan — along with the others you probably know like bad sleep — is alcohol.

The good news is, it is probably one of the simplest (theoretically, sometimes it is easier said than done) changes to make that can dramatically improve your health. Other stuff like sugar or carbs you just can’t cut out. You need to eat, and carbs are in everything.

Before we get into this, I want to make it clear: I get the appeal.

I’ve enjoyed a good cocktail, tried lots of wines and champagnes. I’ve sampled some pretty old scotches, and used to enjoy a good MacAllan. Over Christmas this year, we had a lot of margaritas and it was fun too. Last year I visited a sake brewery in Nara and we tried a bunch of the samples and it was fun. So I get the appeal, and why many people used to drink or still do.

But also we can’t run a longevity company or improve the future of the human race without getting a handle on all these obvious issues. Starting from first principles, and understanding all the data to decide how to do things correctly.

Currently a lot of the problems come from lack of knowledge. Continuing what people did 1,000 years ago.

You see other people doing something, so you assume it is safe and tested.

Otherwise it would be really messed up.

But we are still really in the stone ages of understanding the human body and how to maintain it.

We barely just learned that lead is bad for you. Until recently, we put it in gasoline and paint and everyone’s IQ dropped a lot.

Until recently, doctors promoted cigarettes and people assumed those were safe too.

So in the next 1-50 years, a lot more will change.

It is tempting to just give up trying to be healthy. Everything is killing us in some way, even bottled water, so just might as well speed it up and go drinking and enjoy?

But those are all very small adjustments, and alcohol is by orders of magnitude a bigger problem.

With science we can actually understand things and set in place the correct algorithms, make informed decisions. Or even delegate those to our AI to do correctly and objectively.

We can’t make the decision for you how to live your life, but today’s focus will just be an accurate review of the data, so you can start to make informed decisions rather than be tricked by marketing or just do what others are doing.

I’ll share the latest info we found, and how I’ve been using it myself.

Alcohol Is Where Cigarettes Were in the 1960s

It’s normalized. Encouraged. Sometimes even recommended by doctors. Socially acceptable everwhere.

“A glass of red wine a day is good for your heart,” right?

But like cigarettes in the mid-20th century, we’re in the middle of a cultural shift. The science is catching up, and it’s really not good news.

Some people who are really into longevity and aim to live past 100, like Bryan Johnson, cut alcohol completely. Doesn’t fit with their priorities. Others are just drinking a lot less, maybe only on special occasions. Companies are pivoting to selling other drinks.

Anyone who listens to the Huberman Podcast or bought a wearable has also probably reduced their drinking recently, as the tradeoffs and true costs become a lot more clear. When there is a feedback loop, when you can see what is happening to your Health Score and your biometrics in realtime, then you can make a more informed decision and it may have been different than before.

I haven’t quit drinking entirely. Maybe I will later. Or maybe I’ll delegate that decision to my AI coach.

For now I don’t seek it out, but if there’s a really special thing I might try it. Not feeling too restricted, or stressing out too much about things is also valuable—but your organs like your brain and liver really are also irreplacable, so treating them well is probably wise.

My current rule of thumb is to treat each drink like you’re paying $500 for it. If that is worth it to you — maybe a special birthday or celebration or once in a lifetime event, then cool. Have that champagne and enjoy the moment.

And you can always balance it out by doing a workout the next day or skipping some french fries or some other thing.

But if it is an average Tuesday and you are bored, maybe not worth it.

And for those who are more worried about money, which is quite a lot of people these days, it is also just expensive. So for the people worrying about paying the $1 a day for their Gyroscope membership: an instant way to cover that costs is to just stop drinking. Win win.

But it isn’t just a financial cost. Your whole body pays a cost.

The true costs of alcohol

Fat Loss Halts

Alcohol suppresses fat oxidation—your body stops burning fat so it can metabolize the alcohol first. Even small doses reduce fat-burning by up to 70% for several hours.

One of the 12 items in the fat loss protocol is avoiding alcohol. The two just aren’t compatible. There is a reason it is called a “beer belly.”

It also adds empty calories that aren’t filling and often lead to overeating, which is the opposite of what you’re doing. Empty calories are really problematic, especially when you are reducing calories you still need to get all the essential nutrients, so nutrient density is even more important. Every calorie you eat needs to also have useful value.

It isn’t as simple as “oh I can just work out a little more to burn off the 200 calories”.

It is like having a car with limited space, and you need to transport a lot of important belongings. If you waste space on other junk, then you are needing to leave something valuable behind — usually vitamins or minerals.

Sleep Gets Wrecked

Even one drink can decrease your deep sleep, reduce REM, and lower your HRV, and mess with sleep architecture.

You don’t need to trust any studies or scientists for this. You can see this clearly yourself in Gyroscope—check your HRV or resting heart rate the morning after drinking.

Increased Risk of Cancer & Disease

Alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen, in the same class as asbestos and tobacco. It increases your risk of breast, liver, and colon cancer—even at “moderate” levels.

There is no way to see this in Gyroscope or notice it in the short-term, but we just need to trust the studies here. This is the primary issue from alcohol, even if you are able to cancel out the calories by going to the gym more, or get ok sleep with a nap, there’s not a great way to protect all your cells.

Accelerated Aging

Alcohol raises inflammation, increases oxidative stress, and generates acetaldehyde—a toxic byproduct that damages DNA and shortens telomeres.

If you care about longevity, this is a problem. In the next few days, you may not notice a big issue, but over time these habits can really add up.

Reduced Productivity & Cognitive Lag

Even if you don’t feel “hungover,” your brain doesn’t function as well. Executive function, attention span, and energy all take a hit the next day.

That little edge you need to crush your goals? Alcohol dulls it. This can be harder to notice, but tools like mood tracking, productivity measurements or tracking your HRV can start to reveal this.

Let’s Bust a Few Myths

On cigarette boxes now there are a bunch of warnings and pictures of the consequences, so people can decide to do it after understanding the cost.

With alcohol, we still aren’t there yet and most people just don’t know what they’re getting into. Instead, many people are still running on old data or myths that have since been debunked.

Myth 1: “Red wine is healthy.”

Sorry, not really. This is quite a harmful myth. There is some resveratrol in red wine, but any resveratrol benefit is minuscule compared to the damage from ethanol. You’d get more antioxidants from a handful of blueberries.

“One drink a day is recommended.”

Old data found that people who had one drink seemed to have better outcomes than people who had zero drinks. In retrospect there are other explanations for that—for example, rich people or healthy people are more likely to be able to have a drink. While someone in extreme poverty or who is already sick and taking medications, may fill out the survey and say they have 0 drinks.

At first there was confusion about this, but now we know the most optimal amount for your longevity and body function is definitely zero, from all the latest studies.

It will definitely not kill you to have one drink, it is considered “safe” for humans in the short term. Just like french fries or a cookie or other things. But it does have a small cost and impact your general health. In sleep, metabolism, mood, and long-term health.

“I need it to have fun with friends.”

This is maybe the most pervasive and dangerous myth, mostly perpetuated by companies selling it. Just like DeBeers corporation wants people to believe true love only exists if you buy an expensive diamond from them, the companies selling expensive alcohol want you to believe you are only having fun if you buy their products. Good business, but you are the one paying for it.

Social connections are essential for life and longevity. But you can absolutely connect, laugh, dance, and celebrate without alcohol. If you do want to drink something, try sparkling water or a good mocktail or some snack, you can get them literally anywhere now. Your friends won’t judge you, even if it feels slightly awkward at first.

Damage control

Nothing is black and white, and it also doesn’t need to be between never drinking or drinking daily.

Some basic suggestions...

Setting boundaries — for example only drinking on weekends, or only one drink when you do, or not more than every 30 days, can help to limit it to a much safer amount. Otherwise like most drugs, you will need to keep increasing the amount you need to drink to feel the same high, and the negative effects increase significantly.

Don’t do it before sleeping. It is common to drink late at night but that is possibly the worst impact on your sleep.

There are some supplements like zbiotics or milk thistle that claim to reduce the impacts. They do sort of work, but also are even more expenses, and don’t fully solve the problem, just reduce it a little bit. It is like wearing a helmet in an accident — much better to avoid it altogether, but it is also good to have protection if you do.

Drinking enough water and hydrating!

If/when you do drink, then just having one drink or a small amount and lots of water etc. can be the difference between just a few extra calories or a big drop in health. Instead of going all in and having a whole bottle of wine or 5 drinks, for example.

My current approach

I’ll share my latest approach, and you can feel free to copy it, or be inspired to find something else that works for you. Maybe it is never drinking. Or some other balance.

I still go out. I still enjoy life.

Drinking with meals or friends was an old habit, but one I have mostly managed to replace.

I haven’t strictly quit drinking, I just don’t automatically reach for a drink anymore. I’ve had to find other ways to entertain myself, or relieve social tension.

But most weeks I have a lot of work to do, and a lot of people are counting on Gyroscope to manage their bodies and lives, so I need my brain to really be sharp and perform every single day, so can’t really afford to drink or party much. So the decision is almost made automatically.

I noticed that if I do have a drink, for about a week after I run a bit slower. Bugs in code are harder to solve. App updates and emails take longer to finish. Designs don’t quite look right. The brain just doesn’t fire on all cylinders as it starts to recover. Still enough to do basic tasks or drive a car, but not as good as it was in a flow state.

I am a bit fortunate, though. I don’t enjoy drinking that much, so it is relatively simple for me to say no or to skip it.

Some people find it really pleasurable, and one drink turns into two turns into 32 to 64, and quitting may be more difficult. Some people may really benefit from a program like AA, if they want to stop but don’t feel in control.

My main habit change for these issues has been:

Most of the time, I have switched to ordering sparkling water.

Most of us run on autopilot. At bars, at cafes, at restaurants. Everyone asks what you’re going to drink. And depending on a random choice you made once 20-30 years ago that became a daily habit, that may add thousands of calories or reduce your lifespan by 5-10 years.

But I actually really do enjoy a good San Pellegrino. For other people maybe it is some nonalcoholic beer or hop water, or even a mocktail — which has some calories but still should be much better than ethanol. You can find a drink that still gives you some pleasure, without the big costs.

Mocktails are also everywhere now—and many are just as enjoyable without the ethanol. Almost every trendy restaurant and bar now has it. People not drinking is actually becoming a thing, which is cool. You have options.

The key is intentionality.

So my big insight here was to make my default order and habit a pretty safe one.

Not just for drinking.

An espresso at a coffee shop, instead of a sugary latte, or a sparkling water for a drink instead of an old fashioned or wine.

Make “no thanks” or a safe drink your default. This is something you’ll end up having (and paying for) thousands of times more in your life, so is worth optimizing or spending 5 minutes actually thinking about.

Then if you really want something later too, you can always opt in. But when you do, it will be your decision. Free will, rather than forced by others.

Once in a while someone else will get a really cool drink and I’ll try it and maybe then if it is really great I can order it too. But this way there’s no pressure to do it just because the waiter comes up and asks what you want. Which can feel like a high stakes thing at the time.

Same goes for cookies or pastries at a cafe. I will sometimes order those too, but I think it’s important that’s not just your default choice.

At one point many years ago, I would go to a cafe and on autopilot just order a latte and a chocolate chip cookie. (This was before we added the food tracking in Gyroscope) — and coincidentally I would also gain weight when stressed. Now I just get a default black coffee, and while it is a bit less, protects me from bad daily habits. A cold brew gives about as much enjoyment, without the extra calories.

So this isn’t just about alcohol, similar strategies can apply to everything. And you’ll save money too, so whether your motivation is your health or your wallet or both, it makes sense.

My suggestion is let your first choice be aligned with your goals, and set safe defaults.

Then you can still have the occasional cookie or drink or dessert if it matches your goals, but it is something you really enjoy and opt into. And you can check your Health Score to see if you can afford it that week, or if you already are in trouble and need to take better care of your body. In fact, then you can enjoy those more as they are special treats rather than something you are just eating on autopilot.

That is one of the main challenges with some of these things like alcohol, or even sugar. Like almost everything, you build up a tolerance. What used to feel fun is now the baseline, and next time you may need more.

And a big part of your spending. These are multibillion dollar industries for a reason.

Drinks aren’t cheap these days. Plus tax and tip, it can add up to hundreds, or even thousands of dollars.

So if you are worried about money, or your longevity, quitting alcohol might be the simplest, highest ROI investment you can make in your health.

It will definitely help with your fat loss goal.

If you drink more than a few times a month, cutting it out may even pay for your Gyroscope membership entirely, and give you hundreds of extra dollars.

My suggestion would be to see if you can get your alcohol timer up to at least 20-30 days, and see how it feels. Or for people in a Fat Loss goal, wait until you reach your goal before celebrating.

Or let your body make the choice, keeping an eye on your mood, HRV, journaling, Health Score and productivity levels to truly understand the cost.