Moderate drinking is compatible with a healthy lifestyle, but drinking too much can lead to serious health problems. That's why it's so important to be drink aware.
About alcohol
How much is too much?
The Government’s recommended daily unit guidelines are up to 2-3 units for a woman and up to 3-4 units for a man.
What is a unit?
One unit is equivalent to 8g of alcohol. That’s about what you get in half a pint of (4%) beer, or in a single measure (25ml) of spirits (40%). A whole pint of (5%) beer or cider contains three units. Two small glasses of wine are another three units. In a recent YouGov survey, 77 per cent of people didn’t know how many units are in a glass of wine.
What is binge drinking?
Binge drinking has been defined as drinking double the daily recommended unit guidelines.
What happens to my body when I drink alcohol?
Alcohol is absorbed into the body through the stomach and small intestine. It’s then quickly distributed via the bloodstream throughout the body, reaching the heart, brain, muscles and other tissues. The body can’t store alcohol so it gets rid of it via the liver. The liver changes alcohol into the highly toxic substance acetaldehyde which is then turned into the harmless acetate and excreted through urine, breath and sweat.
What are the long-term harms caused by alcohol misuse?
Alcohol misuse can be directly related to deaths from certain types of diseases, such as cirrhosis of the liver, and in some cases, it may be associated with other causes of death, such as stroke. The Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England estimates that up to 22,000 premature deaths per year are associated in some way with alcohol misuse.
How can I drink responsibly?
Alcohol dehydrates you. Drink lots of water to rehydrate your skin and alternate alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones. Eat before a big night out or enjoy a drink with a meal or snack. It’ll stop the alcohol going straight to your head and will help you feel better in the morning.
Check out the illustration below to see how many units you had yesterday. If you overdid it, give yourself a 48 hour break from alcohol.
ABOUT DRINKAWARE
Drinkaware.co.uk is the UK’s leading online alcohol information portal. It features an interactive unit calculator that can accurately assess unit intake per session, a drinks diary, and numerous useful hints and tips. No matter your age, situation or stage of life, drinkaware.co.uk can provide you with all the information you need to enjoy alcohol safely and responsibly.
Visit Drinkaware to find out more.
