Having even one drink a day can significantly raise your risk of death if you’re living with hepatitis C. More booze, wine or beer than that can be particularly deadly.

Researchers found that people with hep C who drank an average of two or more drinks a day had a more than 5-fold increased risk of death from all causes and a 184-fold increased risk of dying of liver disease. Those who drank an average of about one drink a day had a 2.29-fold increased risk of dying from all causes and a 74-fold increased risk of death from liver disease.

Lead investigator Zobair M. Younossi, MD, vice president of research for Inova Health System in Falls Church, Virginia, says, “The bottom line is that for patients with hepatitis C, even moderate alcohol use can be detrimental.”