The type of alcohol -- beer, wine or spirits -- made no difference, said the study conducted by researchers at the Public Health Department of Gipuzkoa, Basque Government, in San Sebastian.

But protective effect can wear off at higher levels in men, the study warned.

The researchers based their conclusion on analysis of 10-year data on 15,500 men and nearly 26,000 women who participated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer study.

The rate of coronary heart disease for non-drinking women in the study was 56 per 100,000. For women listed as low drinkers, averaging less than 5 grams a day, the figure was 42. For women who were moderate drinkers (5 to 30 grams a day), it was 36. The figure for both high drinkers (30 to 90 grams a day) and heavy drinkers (more than 90 grams a day) was 12.

The rates for men were 398 per 100,000 for those who never drank, 318 for low drinkers, 255 for moderate drinkers, 278 for high drinkers and 334 for heavy drinkers.

But the study said that for men, there was a point at which the coronary benefits of alcohol declined, and risk began to rise again.

"This is one of a long line of such studies, probably 60 or 70 done in different populations around the world," said Eric B. Rimm, an associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. "But it is comforting, showing that even if you live in a Mediterranean country and eat the different diet there, moderate drinking puts you at a much lower risk of heart disease."

The American Heart Association recommendation is that "if you drink, do so in moderation." That means one to two drinks a day for a man, one drink a day for a woman, with a drink defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.

Copyright 2009 Xinhua News Agency