Theo Nash
Alcohol is never completely safe, and even low levels of alcohol use can increase the risk of certain cancers. While there is no guaranteed safe amount of alcohol for anyone, drinking in moderation can help to reduce the risk of alcohol-related health problems. General guidelines suggest that women should have one drink or less in a day, while men should have two drinks or less. Binge drinking, which is defined as four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men within about two hours, significantly increases the risk of alcohol-related harm, including falls, car crashes, and memory blackouts. Heavy drinking, defined as eight or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more per week for men, is also associated with increased health risks. To minimize the risks associated with alcohol consumption, it is recommended to drink in moderation, spread drinking over several days, and include drink-free days each week.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| General guideline for men | 2 drinks or less in a day |
| General guideline for women | 1 drink or less in a day |
| Binge drinking for women | 4 or more drinks in about 2 hours |
| Binge drinking for men | 5 or more drinks in about 2 hours |
| Heavy drinking for women | 4 or more drinks on any day or 8 or more per week |
| Heavy drinking for men | 5 or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week |
| High-intensity drinking for women | 8 or more drinks on an occasion |
| High-intensity drinking for men | 10 or more drinks on an occasion |
| Weekly limit for men and women | 14 units or less |
| Standard drink | 10 g of pure alcohol |
| Safe option | Not drinking at all |
| At-risk groups | Children, anyone who is pregnant or might be pregnant, those with certain medical conditions |
| Lower risk of alcohol-related health problems | Drinking within the recommended limits |
| AUD risk factors | Frequent heavy drinking days and greater weekly volume |
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What You'll Learn
There is no safe amount of alcohol
While there are guidelines for drinking alcohol in moderation, it is important to remember that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption when it comes to human health. Any amount of alcohol consumption carries health risks, and these risks increase with the amount consumed.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no safe threshold for alcohol consumption. The carcinogenic effects of alcohol on the human body cannot be guaranteed to remain dormant below a certain level of consumption. Additionally, studies have not conclusively proven that the potential benefits of light to moderate drinking on cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes outweigh the cancer risks associated with the same levels of alcohol intake. Vulnerable and disadvantaged populations, such as those with lower socioeconomic status, are more susceptible to the harms of alcohol consumption.
Binge drinking, defined as consuming four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men within about two hours, significantly increases the risk of alcohol-related harm, including falls, burns, car crashes, memory blackouts, medication interactions, and assaults. Heavy drinking, which includes binge drinking, is defined for women as consuming four or more drinks on any day or eight or more per week, and for men as consuming five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week. High-intensity drinking is drinking at two or more times the binge drinking thresholds.
While some studies suggest that low to moderate alcohol consumption may have health benefits, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, these effects are complicated and may be influenced by various factors, including individual characteristics and drinking patterns. For example, individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who consume alcohol may report better health assessments, but those with high disease activity and low quality of life may be more likely to stop drinking. Additionally, the interpretation of conflicting reports on the effects of alcohol consumption requires consideration of factors such as varying levels of alcohol intake, competing risk factors, choice of comparator groups, and the pitfalls of self-reported alcohol consumption.
It is worth noting that certain individuals should refrain from consuming alcohol altogether, including children, pregnant people, and those with specific medical conditions. Additionally, drinking patterns and the average consumption per drinker vary widely across countries and sexes, further complicating the understanding of safe alcohol consumption levels. While there may be cultural and social norms surrounding alcohol consumption, it is essential to prioritize minimizing health risks and making informed decisions.
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Drinking guidelines for men
United States
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), men should limit their alcohol intake to two drinks or less per day. These guidelines are not intended as an average but rather as a daily limit. Binge drinking, defined as consuming four drinks or more for women and five drinks or more for men in about two hours, brings a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or more. Heavy drinking is defined as consuming 15 or more drinks per week for men.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published by the US Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, recommend that adults of legal drinking age (21 or older) drink in moderation if they choose to drink alcohol. However, it is important to note that even moderate drinking may have health risks.
Canada
An influential group of Canadian researchers assessed a wide range of studies and found that the risk of dying from anything alcohol-related, including cancer, heart disease, and accidents, increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. They deemed the risks associated with drinking two or fewer drinks per week as low, three to six drinks per week as moderate, and seven or more drinks per week as "increasingly high."
Australia
The Australian Government Department of Health and Disability recommends that healthy men drink no more than ten standard drinks per week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury. A standard drink in Australia contains 10 grams of pure alcohol.
United Kingdom
According to the Health Survey for England 2014, men consume an average of 16.8 units of alcohol per week. To keep health risks from drinking to a low level, it is recommended that men do not regularly drink more than 14 units per week. If drinking this amount, it is best to spread it over three days or more instead of having heavy drinking sessions.
It is important to note that the only way to completely avoid health problems related to alcohol is to stop drinking altogether. However, this may not be a feasible option for many people.
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Drinking guidelines for women
While there is no guaranteed safe amount of alcohol for anyone, general guidelines can help minimise the risks. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), women should have one drink or fewer in a day. This amount is not intended as an average but rather as a daily limit. Binge drinking brings a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or more, which typically happens if a woman consumes four or more drinks within about two hours. Heavy drinking includes binge drinking and has been defined for women as four or more drinks on any day or eight or more per week. “High-intensity drinking” is defined as drinking at two or more times the binge-drinking thresholds, that is, eight or more drinks on one occasion for women.
The risk for alcohol-related harm depends on a combination of how much, how fast, and how often someone drinks. When a woman consumes four or more drinks in about two hours, this typically raises her BAC to the legal driving limit of 0.08% and meets the definition of binge drinking. Binge drinking causes more than half of the alcohol-related deaths in the US. It increases the risk of falls, burns, car crashes, memory blackouts, medication interactions, and assaults.
Heavy drinking thresholds are lower for women because, after consumption, alcohol distributes itself evenly in body water, and pound for pound, women have proportionally less water in their bodies than men. This means that after a woman and a man of the same weight drink the same amount of alcohol, the woman's BAC will tend to be higher, putting her at greater risk for harm.
It is important to note that drinking within recommended limits lowers the risk of developing problems with alcohol use. However, as people age, their bodies do not process alcohol as easily. Some individuals, such as children, anyone who is pregnant or might be pregnant, and those with certain medical conditions, should not drink any alcohol.
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Binge drinking
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or above. This typically corresponds to consuming five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women in about two hours. Binge drinking is a concern among all age groups, but it is particularly prevalent among young adults aged 18 to 25. According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 28.7% of people in this age group reported binge drinking in the past month.
It is important to note that drinking any amount of alcohol carries certain risks, and there is no guaranteed safe amount of alcohol for anyone. However, drinking within recommended limits can lower the risk of developing problems with alcohol use. For adults who choose to drink alcohol, the 2020-2025 US Dietary Guidelines recommend that women have one drink or less per day and men have two drinks or less per day. These guidelines are based on binary sex assigned at birth and not on gender identity. Individuals who do not identify as male or female should talk to their healthcare team about recommended drink limits.
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Alcohol-related health problems
While drinking a small amount of alcohol does not cause serious health problems for many adults, excessive alcohol consumption can negatively impact one's health and even be deadly. Alcohol-related health problems can be acute or chronic, with the latter arising from long-term alcohol abuse.
Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that brings a person's blood alcohol concentration to 0.08% or more, which typically happens if a woman consumes four or more drinks or a man consumes five or more drinks within about two hours. Binge drinking causes more than half of alcohol-related deaths in the US and increases the risk of injuries such as falls, burns, car crashes, memory blackouts, medication interactions, and assaults.
Heavy drinking includes binge drinking and is defined for women as consuming four or more drinks on any day or eight or more per week, and for men as consuming five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week. Approximately two-thirds of alcohol-related deaths result from diseases and organ damage related to chronic heavy alcohol consumption.
Alcohol's harmful effects on multiple organs and body systems contribute to over 200 health conditions. For example, alcohol exposure can alter prenatal brain development, structure, and activity, resulting in lifelong cognitive, social, and behavioral deficits, as well as motor and coordination problems. Alcohol consumption can also increase the risk of hypertension, arrhythmias, and female breast cancer.
The health risks of alcohol are dose-dependent, and the likelihood of certain harms begins at relatively low amounts. As such, drinking in moderation is recommended to reduce the risk of alcohol-related health problems. According to the 2020-2025 US Dietary Guidelines, women should have one drink or less in a day, and men should have two drinks or less in a day. These amounts are daily limits and not averages.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no guaranteed safe amount of alcohol for anyone. However, to keep health risks from alcohol at a low level, men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis.
Binge drinking is defined as drinking 4 or more drinks on one occasion for females and all adults age 65 and older, and 5 or more drinks on one occasion for males.
Excessive alcohol use can lead to alcohol-related illnesses, including a range of cancers and liver disease, and can worsen mental health. Drinking too much alcohol can also lead to social harms such as relationship problems.
If you are regularly drinking more than 14 units of alcohol per week, this may indicate that you are drinking too much. Additionally, if your alcohol consumption is causing problems in your relationships or other areas of your life, it may be a sign that you need to cut back.
If you are concerned about your drinking, it is recommended to talk to a healthcare professional. They can provide guidance and support to help you set a plan to reduce your alcohol intake or quit if needed.
