Dr. Oz is defending new federal guidelines on alcohol consumption … he says it’s best to limit the booze — but if you must imbibe, at least drink with friends and be sociable.

The head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services joined us on “TMZ Live,” and we challenged him over guardrails being removed from federal guidance on alcohol.

The government’s new guidelines say to “limit alcoholic beverages” … before, the feds said two drinks max per day for men, and one for women … and now, there are no specifics.

Dr. Oz says the 2-to-1 distinction between men and women was more about marketing than anything … and while he says it’s best to avoid alcohol altogether if you want to be healthy, he says there’s no denying there are health benefits to socializing … and he sees alcohol as a “social lubricant.”

Of course, Dr. Oz says that doesn’t mean folks should make alcohol part of their complete breakfast … if they’re doing that, he thinks they should be going to meetings like the ones he says RFK Jr. attends daily.