Harmony Chandler
Alcohol is a drug that can cause harm to the drinker and those around them. While moderate drinking may be linked to certain health benefits, other research shows no benefit and links moderate drinking to diseases like breast cancer and an increased risk of stroke. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as consuming enough alcohol to raise your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or higher. For men, this typically happens after five or more drinks within two hours, and for women, it's four or more drinks. Heavy drinking is defined as eight drinks or more per week for women and 15 or more drinks per week for men. To reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should drink no more than ten standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of drinks per week for men | 10-14 |
| Number of drinks per week for women | 7-8 |
| Number of drinks per day for men | 4-5 |
| Number of drinks per day for women | 3-4 |
| Number of drinks per day for men (binge drinking) | 5 or more |
| Number of drinks per day for women (binge drinking) | 4 or more |
| Number of drinks per week for men (heavy drinking) | 15 or more |
| Number of drinks per week for women (heavy drinking) | 8 or more |
What You'll Learn
Risky drinking defined
Risky drinking is defined as drinking too much alcohol too often. The definition of risky drinking varies slightly between men and women. For men, risky drinking means consuming more than four drinks on any given day. For women, it means consuming three drinks within the same time frame.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that brings a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or higher. This typically happens when men consume five or more drinks within two hours, or when women consume four or more drinks within the same timeframe. Binge drinking is a form of risky drinking and can lead to various adverse outcomes, including accidents, misjudging risky situations, losing self-control, and an increased risk of self-harm and suicide.
Heavy drinking is another form of risky drinking and is defined as consuming a large number of drinks per week. For men, this means consuming 15 or more drinks per week, while for women, it is defined as consuming eight or more drinks per week.
Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to a higher risk of developing alcohol use disorder (AUD). It is also associated with various health problems, including liver disease, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, ulcers, gastrointestinal issues, malnourishment, vitamin deficiency, weakened immune system, and higher risk of obesity, depression, and anxiety.
It is important to note that there is no safe drinking level, and the less alcohol consumed, the lower the health risks. The U.S. government defines low-risk drinking levels, which are generally associated with only low to moderate risk for the general population. However, even moderate drinking may increase the risk of certain health issues, such as breast cancer.
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Binge drinking
To prevent binge drinking, it is recommended to limit alcohol consumption, drink with food and in the company of trusted people, and alternate alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones, preferably water.
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Heavy drinking
To reduce health risks associated with heavy drinking, it is recommended to limit alcohol consumption, alternate alcoholic drinks with water or non-alcoholic beverages, and have several drink-free days each week. It is important to note that there is no safe drinking level, and the less alcohol consumed, the lower the health risks.
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Alcohol and medication interactions
It is important to remember that alcohol is a drug and can have harmful interactions with prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and even some herbal remedies. Alcohol can cause problems such as changes in blood pressure and loss of coordination when mixed with certain medications. It can also intensify medication side effects such as sleepiness, drowsiness, and light-headedness, which may interfere with your concentration and ability to operate machinery or drive a vehicle, leading to serious or even fatal accidents.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) conducted a study of over 26,000 adults and found that over 70% of U.S. adults regularly drink alcohol, and roughly 42% of those who drink also use medications that can interact with alcohol. Utilizing a large database of over 1,300 medications, they found that 45% of these medications had the potential to interact with alcohol.
Be sure to check on your prescription drugs, as well as your over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, herbals, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. When combined with alcohol, some OTC medicines can have serious drug interactions, too.
- High blood pressure medication
- Sleeping pills (sedatives and hypnotics)
- Pain medications (analgesics)
- Skeletal muscle relaxants
- Cholesterol medications
- Cardiovascular (heart) medications
- Central nervous system (CNS) agents like sedatives or narcotic pain relievers
- Metabolic medications like diabetes drugs
The combination of opioid painkillers and alcohol should always be avoided as it can slow or stop breathing and may be deadly. Drinking while taking steroids (corticosteroids or anti-inflammatory medications) often used for pain and inflammation can lead to stomach bleeding and ulcers. NSAIDs like ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac mixed with alcohol can also cause stomach problems like ulcers.
Depression medicine and alcohol can result in added drowsiness, dizziness, and risk for injury. It is usually best to avoid the combination of alcohol and medications for depression. Ask your prescriber, as some antidepressants may increase drowsiness and make driving hazardous, especially if mixed with alcohol.
Medicines used for anxiety or sleep, like benzodiazepines and "Z-drugs" like eszopiclone, zaleplon, and zolpidem, may increase the risk for respiratory depression, injuries due to falls or accidents, serious memory problems, or even death when combined with alcohol.
Alcohol and medication side effects may be especially prevalent in women. Women may be at greater risk of side effects due to alcohol and drug interactions than men because they do not metabolize alcohol as efficiently, putting them at greater risk for high blood alcohol levels.
In summary, it is important to observe warning labels and ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is safe to consume alcohol with any medications and herbal remedies you take.
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Alcohol's effect on pregnant women
There is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Even small amounts of alcohol can harm the development of an unborn baby and have lifelong impacts. Alcohol is a teratogen, which means it can interrupt the normal development of an unborn baby.
When a pregnant person drinks, alcohol passes from their blood through the placenta to the baby. The baby does not have a fully developed liver and cannot process alcohol. The blood alcohol levels of the mother and baby are similar. Alcohol consumed by the mother can interfere with essential nutrients crossing the placenta and getting to the baby.
Drinking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. It can also affect the baby after birth and cause a serious lifelong condition called fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD can cause problems with:
- Learning and behaviour
- Joints, bones, muscles and some organs
- Managing emotions and developing social skills
- Hyperactivity and impulse control
- Communication, such as problems with speech
The risk of harm to the baby increases the more alcohol the mother drinks and the more frequently she drinks. However, it is never too late to stop drinking. Every effort made to stop or reduce drinking lowers the risk of harm to the baby and benefits the mother's health.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no safe amount of alcohol to consume. However, to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, guidelines suggest that healthy men should drink no more than 14 standard drinks a week and healthy women should drink no more than 7 standard drinks a week.
A standard drink contains 14 grams of pure alcohol. In the United States, this is generally the amount in 12 ounces of regular beer, which is usually 5% alcohol.
Alcohol affects everyone, and drinking is never free of risk. Drinking beer to excess can increase your risk of many serious health consequences, including unintentional injuries, violence, risky sexual behaviors, problems with memory and learning, early and permanent dementia, inflammation and damage to tissues and organs, chronic diseases, ulcers and gastrointestinal issues, malnourishment and vitamin deficiency, weakened immune system, higher risk of obesity, depression, and anxiety.
Excessive drinking can be broken down into two categories: binge drinking and heavy drinking. Binge drinking is defined as consuming enough alcohol to raise your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or higher. For men, this typically occurs after five or more drinks within two hours, and for women, this is typically after four or more drinks within two hours. Heavy drinking is defined as eight or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more drinks per week for men.
