Beneficial and harmful effects of alcohol exposure on Caenorhabditis elegans worms

► Long-term ethanol exposure has hormetic effects on Caenorhabditis elegans. ► Low-concentration ethanol extends lifespan of C. elegans. ► The lifespan-extending effects of ethanol are dependent on the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway. ► Low-concentration ethanol slows the effects of aging on mobility. ► C. elegans is a suitable animal model to study ethanol related problems.