Arielle Cruz
Alcohol misuse is a serious issue that can lead to alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other negative consequences. While the definition of an alcoholic is not solely based on the number of units consumed, excessive drinking can increase the risk of developing AUD and cause harm. Binge drinking, heavy drinking, and drinking while pregnant or underage are all forms of alcohol misuse. Guidelines recommend limiting intake to one drink or less for women and two drinks or less for men per day. Regularly consuming more than 14 units of alcohol per week is considered excessive drinking and may indicate a dependence. It's important to understand drinking habits and seek professional help if alcohol consumption becomes problematic.
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What You'll Learn
Alcohol unit calculation
The concept of alcohol units was introduced in the UK in 1987 to help people monitor their drinking and provide health guidelines for safe alcohol consumption. One unit of alcohol is the amount of alcohol that the average, healthy adult body can metabolise in an hour.
One unit of alcohol contains 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol. This is roughly the amount of alcohol that an average adult can process in an hour. This means that, in theory, there should be little to no alcohol left in the blood of an adult after this time, although this will vary from person to person.
Calculating Alcohol Units
The number of units in a drink depends on the size of the drink and its alcohol strength. For example, a pint of strong lager contains three units of alcohol, while the same volume of lower-strength lager has just over two units. The alcohol strength of a drink is usually expressed by the standard measure of alcohol by volume (ABV). ABV is the measure of the amount of pure alcohol as a percentage of the total volume of liquid in a drink. You can find the ABV on the labels of cans and bottles, sometimes written as "vol" or "alcohol volume", or you can ask bar staff about the ABV of a particular drink.
To calculate the number of units in a drink, you can multiply the total volume of the drink (in millilitres) by its ABV (measured as a percentage) and divide the result by 1,000. For example, a drink with a volume of 350ml and an ABV of 5% would contain approximately 17.5ml of pure alcohol, or just under two units.
Online Calculators
There are also several online alcohol unit calculators available that can help you keep track of your alcohol consumption. These calculators allow you to input the type and amount of drinks you've consumed, and they will calculate the amount of pure alcohol you've consumed. Some calculators can also convert the number of units into your country's alcohol unit term, as the definition of a unit of alcohol may vary slightly between countries.
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Alcohol misuse
For instance, a person misusing alcohol may wake up and immediately need an alcoholic drink to help with withdrawal symptoms. This could indicate that the person has developed a physical dependence, and they may experience physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop drinking. Another sign of alcohol misuse is when a person cannot fulfil their responsibilities after drinking, such as missing work or appointments.
According to the National Health Service (NHS), to keep health risks from alcohol at a low level, both men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week. One unit of alcohol is 8 grams or 10 millilitres of pure alcohol, which is about half a pint of lower to normal-strength lager, a single small shot of spirits, or a small glass of wine. However, there is no recognised number of units per week that would indicate a person is an alcoholic.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in the United States provides guidelines on drinking levels. For adults who choose to drink alcohol, women should have one drink or less per day, and men should have two drinks or less per day. Binge drinking is defined as drinking that brings a person's blood alcohol concentration to 0.08% or more, which typically occurs if a woman consumes four or more drinks or a man consumes five or more drinks within about two hours. Heavy drinking includes binge drinking and is defined for women as four or more drinks on any day or eight or more per week, and for men as five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week.
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Binge drinking
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines heavy drinking as binge drinking, including consuming four or more drinks on any day or eight or more per week for women, and five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week for men. "High-intensity drinking" is defined as drinking at two or more times the binge-drinking thresholds, or eight or more drinks on one occasion for women and ten or more for men.
While there is no recognised number of units per week that would classify a person as an alcoholic, binge drinking increases the risk of acute harm, such as blackouts and overdoses. It also increases the likelihood of unsafe sexual behaviour, sexually transmitted infections, and unintentional pregnancy. Additionally, due to the impairments it causes, binge drinking increases the risk of falls, burns, drownings, and car crashes. Binge drinking can also compromise the immune system and lead to acute pancreatitis in individuals with underlying pancreatic damage.
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Physical dependence
While there is no recognised number of units of alcohol that would classify a person as an alcoholic, physical dependence on alcohol is a factor of addiction. If you are physically dependent on alcohol, you may feel like it is a central part of your life and that you are unable to function without it. You may experience obsessive thoughts about drinking and feel intense cravings. These cravings may interrupt your physical, social, or work activities.
To be diagnosed with alcohol dependence, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV), an individual must meet at least four of the following criteria within a 12-month period: drinking more alcohol than intended, unsuccessful efforts to reduce alcohol drinking, giving up other activities in favour of drinking alcohol, spending a great deal of time obtaining and drinking alcohol, continuing to drink alcohol despite adverse physical and social effects, and the development of alcohol tolerance.
It is important to note that physical dependence is not the only consideration when determining if someone is an alcoholic. Certain behaviours can indicate alcohol misuse and addiction. For example, a person may wake up and immediately need an alcoholic drink to help with withdrawal symptoms, or they may be unable to fulfil their responsibilities after drinking alcohol the night before.
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Short and long-term health risks
There is no recognised number of units of alcohol that would classify a person as an alcoholic. However, research has shown that 57% of adults drank up to 14 units of alcohol per week, and 23% drank more than this. Males tend to drink more alcohol per week than females.
Excessive alcohol consumption can have immediate and long-term effects on the body. The liver can only process small amounts of alcohol, and the rest of the alcohol can harm your liver and other organs as it circulates through the body. Research has shown that even low amounts of alcohol consumption can negatively impact health.
Drinking alcohol can interfere with the brain's communication pathways, affecting mood, behaviour, and coordination. It can also increase the risk of stroke and damage the peripheral nervous system.
Heavy alcohol use can disturb the endocrine system, causing hormonal imbalances that affect the body's stability and health. This can lead to thyroid diseases, abnormal cholesterol levels, reproductive dysfunction, stress intolerance, and diabetes.
Additionally, alcohol can contribute to a "leaky gut", allowing toxins to enter the body and increasing the risk of colorectal cancer. It can also damage the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, causing inflammation and GI bleeding.
Alcohol misuse is also associated with an increased risk of heart problems, including high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and an increased heart rate.
Excessive drinking can also lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as memory problems and dementia. It can also cause digestive problems and weaken the immune system, making it easier to get sick.
Overall, the less alcohol consumed, the lower the risk of these health issues.
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Frequently asked questions
Binge drinking is defined as drinking that brings a person's blood alcohol concentration to 0.08% or more. This typically happens if a woman consumes 4 or more drinks or a man consumes 5 or more drinks within about 2 hours.
Heavy drinking includes binge drinking and is defined as the following:
- Women: 4 or more drinks on any day or 8 or more per week
- Men: 5 or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week
There is no universally recognised number of units that define someone as an alcoholic. However, certain behaviours can indicate alcohol misuse and dependence, such as the inability to stop drinking once started, experiencing negative emotions when unable to drink, and drinking to alleviate withdrawal symptoms. If you believe your alcohol consumption has become an issue, it is recommended to seek advice from a healthcare or mental health professional.
