Alcohol Advice

Alcohol Advice

Research on alcohol reveals a significant finding: consuming any amount of alcohol carries health risks. While the risk is relatively low for moderate consumption, it increases as the amount consumed rises.

Many individuals choose to drink alcohol for personal enjoyment, social gatherings, or as part of cultural and religious traditions. Similarly, those who opt not to drink may do so for the same reasons. Understanding your personal risk based on your drinking habits can help you make informed choices.

The evidence surrounding moderate alcohol use in healthy adults is still under investigation. However, there is substantial evidence linking high alcohol consumption to various health problems. Drinking excessively—whether in a single instance or over an extended period—can have serious consequences for your health.

Excessive alcohol use refers to four distinct patterns of drinking that can negatively affect one’s health. Moreover, excessive drinking can be life-threatening.

Excessive alcohol use includes:

  • Binge drinking—Four or more drinks for women, or five or more drinks for men during an occasion.
  • Heavy drinking—Eight or more drinks for women, or 15 or more drinks for men during a week.
  • Underage drinking—any alcohol use by people younger than 21.
  • Drinking while pregnant—any alcohol use during pregnancy.

Moderate drinking is:

  • For men—two drinks or less in a day.
  • For women—one drink or less in a day.

To minimize health risks associated with alcohol, it’s advised that both men and women who drink regularly do not exceed 14 units of alcohol per week. If you typically consume this amount, it’s best to spread your drinking over three or more days. Also, keep in mind that some beverages may contain more than one standard drink of alcohol.

Regularly drinking more than 14 units a week increases the risk of:

  • cancers of the mouth, throat and breast
  • stroke
  • heart disease
  • liver disease
  • brain damage
  • damage to the nervous system

The effects of alcohol on your health will depend on how much you drink. The less you drink, the lower the health risks.

Experts remain uncertain about what amount of alcohol, if any, is completely safe during pregnancy. Therefore, the safest choice is to abstain from drinking entirely while pregnant or trying to conceive. Experts continue to express uncertainty regarding the safety of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Current research has not conclusively determined a specific safe level of alcohol intake for pregnant individuals. As a result, healthcare professionals recommend the most prudent approach: completely abstaining from alcohol while pregnant or when attempting to conceive. This precaution is taken to ensure the well-being of both the expectant mother and the developing fetus, as even small amounts of alcohol may pose risks to fetal development and increase the likelihood of complications.

Please click on the links below to learn more about the effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy and resources to help you stop.

If you regularly consume more than 14 units of alcohol each week, reducing your intake or eliminating it from your diet can be difficult. Understanding the reasons behind your desire to drink and identifying strategies to cut back while staying motivated may be beneficial.

For more information and resources to help you stop or reduce your intake of alcohol please check out the links below.