Published by Bupa’s Health Information Team, November 2010.
A drink or two can help you relax and socialise and may even do you some good, but how much do you really know about the effects of alcohol on your body and what happens when you drink? Drinking in moderation can be part of a healthy lifestyle; but regularly overdoing it is associated with various health risks. There are some times in life when it’s better not to drink at all – for instance, drinking alcohol during pregnancy may affect the development of your unborn baby.
This article explains how you can enjoy alcohol sensibly as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Drinking within safe limits is unlikely to do you any harm and it’s even been suggested that for certain people, moderate drinking – that is about one or two units of alcohol a day – may be good for your heart. But in truth, however there are more effective ways to protect your heart, including eating a healthy balanced diet and taking regular exercise.
If you regularly drink too much alcohol, not only do you risk your health, but depending on how much and how often you drink, your work and relationships may also be affected.
To stay safe and healthy, it pays to know your limits and drink alcohol sensibly.
The Department of Health guidelines recommend:
This does not mean you can save up all the ‘allowance’ for a weekend binge.
The recommended limits are lower for women than for men because women have different amounts of fat, muscle and water in their bodies than men. This affects the way a woman’s body copes with alcohol. As a result, women are more likely to develop health problems, such as liver disease, at lower levels of alcohol than men.
All alcoholic drinks sold in the UK must state on the label how much alcohol they contain. This is usually expressed as ‘percentage alcohol by volume’ (% ABV). The packaging should also give the number of units of alcohol the drink contains.
One unit is equal to 10ml by volume or 8g by weight, of pure alcohol – the amount of alcohol an average adult can process in one hour. For example, one unit of alcohol is equal to:
Be aware that alcoholic drinks vary in strength; for example, some wines contain more alcohol than others. A recent study showed one in five women consume 2.5 units or more in a single drink. So, it’s not surprising that most adults drink more than the recommended daily amount of alcohol.
To accurately track how many units you are drinking, try our alcohol units calculator.
Drinking sensibly doesn’t mean missing out on all the fun. The first steps are to understand how much and how often you’re drinking. Start by keeping a record of how much you drink over a week. You may find you’re drinking within your limits and don’t need to change your drinking habits. But if you’re exceeding your safe limits think about when and where you’re drinking and how much. You may be having a glass of wine with most evening meals, a lunchtime drink once a week and a planned night out every Friday or Saturday. Remembering a few simple tips can help you cut down.
It takes about one hour for your liver to break down one unit of alcohol. The more you drink, the longer it will take for the effects of alcohol to clear. There are times when not drinking alcohol at all is the safest choice. These include the following.
If you’re struggling to keep within your limits, don’t be afraid to talk to someone. Talking to a close friend, a support group or your GP can help you understand your drinking habits and find ways to cut down how much you drink.
For sources and links to further information, see Resources.
You can't put a value on your health. Bupa Health Assessments help you identify any current or potential health risks, meaning you can take action now. Compare our range of health assessments or call 0845 600 3458 quoting ref. HFS100.
Are you drinking too much? Find out if you're drinking sensibly so you can manage your risk with our Alcohol Unit Calculator.
This information was published by Bupa's Health Information Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals. Photos are only for illustrative purposes and do not reflect every presentation of a condition. The content is intended only for general information and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional. For more details on how we produce our content and its sources, visit the About our Health Information page.
Publication date: November 2010
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