Regular exercise can cancel out the risk of death caused by drinking over the recommended amount, a new study has revealed.
The study found that people who do regular exercise are less likely to die from alcohol-related diseases, including fatal heart disease, stroke and several types of cancer.
The first study of its kind revealed that physical activity counteracts the "biological disease pathways" of high alcohol intake.
Researchers examined alcohol consumption and exercise among people aged over 40, and compared the results with health surveys dating back to 1994.
Those who did regular exercise and drank between recommended and harmful levels were less likely to die from all causes associated with alcohol and, in some cases, the exercise cancelled out the risk completely.
However, people who drank the same amount and did less than the minimum exercise recommended - 150 minutes a week - were more at risk of death, especially from cancer.
Researchers said: "Our results provide an additional argument for the role of physical activity as a means to promote the health of the population even in the presence of other less healthy behaviours."
But head of health information at the World Cancer Research Fund, Sarah Toule, warned people not to see these results as a "get out of jail free card".
She added: "Doing more physical activity can have great health benefits and our own evidence shows that, if everyone in the UK was regularly active, about 12,000 cancer cases could be prevented every year.
"However, by not drinking alcohol, 24,000 cancer cases could be avoided."
The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, said over 60 per cent of people who took part did not meet the minimum recommended amount of excercise.
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