Many Americans drink alcohol at least now and then. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans say adults of legal drinking age should either not drink or drink in moderation — and that drinking less is better for your health than drinking more. Some people shouldn't drink at all.
What alcohol does
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant — a drug that slows brain activity. It can:
- change your mood, behavior and self-control
- cause trouble with memory and clear thinking
- affect your coordination and physical control
- raise your blood pressure and heart rate
- make you vomit if you drink too much at once
Its effects differ from person to person, depending on how much and how often you drink, your age, sex, genetics and overall health, and whether alcohol problems run in your family.
What counts as a drink
In the United States, a standard drink holds about 14 grams of pure alcohol:
| Drink | Amount | Alcohol content |
|---|---|---|
| Regular beer | 12 ounces | 5% |
| Wine | 5 ounces | 12% |
| Distilled spirits ("a shot") | 1.5 ounces | 40% |
Moderate, binge and heavy drinking
| Women | Men | |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | no more than 1 drink a day | no more than 2 drinks a day |
| Binge — enough to reach a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or more | usually about 4 or more drinks within a few hours | usually 5 or more drinks within a few hours |
| Heavy | more than 4 drinks on any day, or more than 8 a week | more than 5 drinks on any day, or more than 15 a week |
Moderate drinking isn't risk-free: it can raise the risk of dying from certain cancers and heart diseases.
Binge drinking raises the risk of injuries, car crashes and alcohol overdose, and of becoming violent or being a victim of violence.
Heavy drinking over time can lead to:
- alcohol use disorder (AUD)
- liver disease, including cirrhosis and alcohol-associated liver disease
- heart disease
- higher risk of certain cancers and of injuries
It can also cause problems at home, at work and with friends — but treatment can help.
Who shouldn't drink at all
- people in recovery from alcohol use disorder, or who can't control how much they drink
- anyone under 21
- people who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
- people taking medicines that interact with alcohol
- people with medical conditions alcohol can worsen
- anyone planning to drive, operate machinery or do anything that needs skill, coordination and alertness
If you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drink, ask your health care provider.
Sources
Based on "Alcohol," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, with a summary from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH); a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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