* Unless you’re a man aged 50-64 or a woman aged 65 or over.

Any health benefits from alcohol may be limited to women aged 65 and over and men aged between 50 and 64, and even then the benefits may have been exaggerated by existing studies.

That’s according to research published in the British Medical Journal which says the protective effects of moderate drinking have been over-estimated.

Some studies have suggested that, compared with non-drinkers, moderate consumption may protect against cardiovascular disease and bring mortality benefits.

But new research says this association is contentious and the protective effects of light drinking may be exaggerated by “selection biases”.