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Key points. Excessive alcohol use can have immediate and long-term effects. Excessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking during pregnancy or by people younger than 21. Drinking less is better for your health than drinking more. You can lower your health risks by drinking less or choosing not to drink.
For men, consuming five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week. For women, consuming four or more on any day or 8 or more drinks per week. SAMHSA defines heavy alcohol use as binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month.
Moderate alcohol use is: For men—two drinks or less in a day. For women—one drink or less in a day. Compared with drinking excessively, moderate drinking reduces your risk of negative health effects. Learn more about sex and gender considerations on alcohol use and health.
According to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, certain individuals should not consume alcohol. It’s safest to avoid alcohol altogether if you are: Taking medications that interact with alcohol. Managing a medical condition that can be made worse by drinking.
Risks of moderate alcohol use. The bottom line is that alcohol is potentially addictive, can cause intoxication, and contributes to health problems and preventable deaths. If you already drink at low levels and continue to drink, risks for these issues appear to be low. But the risk is not zero.
What are the U.S. Dietary Guidelines on alcohol consumption? The U.S. Dietary Guidelines 7 recommends that for healthy adults who choose to drink and do not have the exclusions noted above, alcohol-related risks may be minimized, though not eliminated, by limiting intakes to:
To reduce the risk of alcohol-related harms, the 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that if alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age.
Print. Tool to Check Your Alcohol Use. Welcome! Previous. Talk with your health care provider if you have concerns about your drinking. To find help near you, you can also use the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Helpline or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Last Reviewed: October 29, 2024.
Latest Alcohol Policy News & Health Guidelines | American Medical Association. Alcohol use — and misuse — is common in society and can carry health risks. Alcohol misuse can range from binge drinking and risky drinking to the actual disorder of alcoholism, all of which can potentially lead to health consequences.
By working together, with due diligence and protection from conflicts of interest, the negative health and social consequences of alcohol can be effectively reduced. This WHO fact sheet on alcohol provides key facts, who is at risk, ways to reduce the burden, and WHO;s response.