Drinking up to seven alcoholic drinks a week for women and 14 for men slashes the risk of heart disease and other health problems by a fifth, the study found.
Scientists from the University of Texas and Shandong University in China monitored 333,247 Americans for an average of just over eight years, finding that “moderate drinkers” were less likely to die during that time.
The study also found that alcohol consumption could prove protective of the heart, with deaths from cardiovascular disease falling by 29 per cent.
The experts did however say there is a “delicate balance” between the dangers and benefits of drinking alcohol.
Similar studies in the past have been dismissed by leading health groups, which have claimed such studies are often skewed by sick participants.
Professor Bo Xi, who is the lead author to the study, said: “Light-to-moderate drinking might have some protective effects against cardiovascular disease, while heavy drinking can lead to death.
“A delicate balance exists between the beneficial and detrimental effects of alcohol consumption, which should be stressed to consumers and patients.”
The study, which was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, said positive health effects could be down to alcohol’s ability to reduce inflammation in the body.
Health authorities in the UK have continued to warn against excessive alcohol consumption.
Rosanna O’Connor, of Public Health England, told the Mail Online: ‘Consuming alcohol excessively contributes to a vast number of other serious disease.
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