Recommended maximum intake of alcoholic beverages
There is no global consensus on recommended maximum intake (or ) of the drug alcohol (also known formally as ethanol). The guidelines provided by health agencies of governments are varied and are shown below. These recommendations concerning maximum intake are distinct from any legal restrictions (e.g. driving after consuming alcohol) that may apply in those countries. The American Heart Association recommends that those who do not already consume alcoholic beverages should not start doing so because of the negative long-term effects of alcohol consumption. Caveats. Risk factors. The recommended limits for daily or weekly  consumption provided in the various countries' guidelines generally apply to the average healthy adult. However, many guidelines also set out numerous conditions under which alcohol intake should be further restricted or eliminated. They may stipulate that, among other things, people with liver, kidney, or other chronic disease, cancer risk factors, smaller body size, young or advanced age, those who have experienced issues with mental health, sleep disturbances, alcohol or drug dependency or who have a close family member who has, or who are taking medication that may interact with alcohol, or suffering or recovering from an illness or accident, are  urged to consider, in consultation with their health professionals, a different level of alcohol use, including reduction or abstention. Activities. Furthermore, the maximum amounts allowed do not apply to those involved with activities such as operating vehicles or machinery, risky sports or other activities, or those responsible for the safety of others. Moreover, studies suggest even moderate alcohol consumption may significantly impair – neurobiologically-beneficial and -demanding – exercise (possibly including the recovery and adaptation). Daily consumption, habituation and addiction. As of 2022, moderate consumption levels of alcoholic beverages are typically defined in terms of average consumption per day. However, when drinking  becomes a chronic daily activity the consumption puts individuals at an increased health risk as it may lead to habituation, desensitization (consumption-induced tolerance), progressively increasing average dosages and addiction. According to the CDC, it would be important to focus on the amount people drink on the days that they drink. However, few studies or guidelines distinguish between or compare "moderate consumption" patterns (i.e. frequency, timing and dosage/intensity per session) of occasional drinking and daily drinking. One review showed that among drinkers (not limited to moderate consumption levels), daily drinking in comparison to non-daily drinking was associated with  incidence of liver cirrhosis. Harmful physiological effects. Emerging evidence suggests that "even drinking within the recommended limits may increase the overall risk of death from various causes, such as from several types of cancer". Better health outcomes among moderate drinkers that some studies reported may be due to the moderate alcohol consumption itself but they may also instead be caused by "other differences in behaviors or genetics between people who drink moderately and people who don't". According to the CDC, recent studies indicate moderate consumption may not have the protective health benefits. A systematic analysis found that "The level  of alcohol consumption that minimised harm across health outcomes was zero (95% UI 0·0–0·8) standard drinks per week". Units and standard drinks. Guidelines generally give recommended amounts measured in grams (g) of pure alcohol. Some guidelines also express alcohol intake in or when recommending maximum alcohol intake. The size of a standard drink varies widely, as does the recommended maximum number of drinks per day or week, among the various guidelines. The amounts listed are not meant as recommendations for how much alcohol a drink should contain, but rather to give a common reference that people can use for measuring  their intake, though they may or may not correspond to a typical serving size in their country. In North America, one standard drink corresponds to a typical 12 fl. oz. bottle of 5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV) beer, 5 fl. oz. of 12% ABV wine, or a 1.5 fl. oz. shot of 40% ABV liquor. Due to the different size of the US and Canadian ounce however, the actual amount of alcohol is slightly different. In Europe the most common standard drink size is 10g of pure alcohol, making a typical 330ml bottle of 4.8% ABV beer correspond to  1.2 drinks or a 500ml bottle 1.9 drinks; 100ml of 11% wine is 0.9 drinks, and a 40ml shot of 33% spirits equal 1.0 drink, while in countries that use 12g, those same servings are 1.0, 1.6, 0.7, and 0.9 drinks respectively. Studies have shown that most people find it difficult to understand and define exactly what a standard drink is, and consistently underestimate how much they drink. The amount of pure alcohol is stated in the table in both grams and millilitres. The number of standard drinks contained in 500ml of beer of 5% ABV (a typical large  drink of beer, similar to a US pint of 473ml) is stated for comparison. The amount of alcohol in any drink is calculated by the formula: For example, 0.35-litre glass of beer with ABV of 5.5% has 15.2 grams of pure alcohol. Pure alcohol has density of 789.24 g/l (at 20 °C). Men. The standard drink size is given in brackets. Daily maximum drinks (no weekly limits recommended). Therefore, these countries recommend limits for men in the range 20–40 g per day. Daily/weekly maximum drinks. These countries recommend a weekly limit, but intake on a particular  day may be higher than one-seventh of the weekly amount. Therefore, these countries recommend limits for men in the range 27.2–32 g of ethanol per day and 168–210 g of ethanol per week. Women who are neither pregnant nor breastfeeding. Women trying to become pregnant should look at the guidelines for pregnant women given in the next section. Daily maximum drinks (no weekly limits recommended). Therefore, these countries recommend limits for women in the range 10–30 g per day. Daily/weekly maximum drinks. These countries recommend a weekly limit, but your intake on a particular day may be higher  than one-seventh of the weekly amount. Therefore, these countries recommend limits for women in the range 14–27.2 g per day and 98–140 g per week. Pregnant women. Excessive drinking in pregnancy is the cause of fetal alcohol syndrome (BE: foetal alcohol syndrome), especially in the first eight to twelve weeks of pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women receive special advice. It is not known whether there is a safe minimum amount of alcohol consumption, although low levels of drinking are not known to be harmful. As there may be some weeks between conception and confirmation of pregnancy, most countries recommend that  women trying to become pregnant should follow the guidelines for pregnant women. In short, all countries listed above now recommend that women abstain from alcohol consumption if they are pregnant or likely to become pregnant. Breastfeeding women. "Alcohol passes to the baby in small amounts in breast milk. The milk will smell different to the baby and may affect their feeding, sleeping or digestion. The best advice is to avoid drinking shortly before a baby's feed." "Alcohol inhibits a mother's let-down (the release of milk to the nipple). Studies have shown that babies take around 20% less  milk if there's alcohol present, so they'll need to feed more often – although infants have been known to go on 'nursing strike', probably because of the altered taste of the milk." "There is little research evidence available about the effect that [alcohol in breast milk] has on the baby, although practitioners report that, even at relatively low levels of drinking, it may reduce the amount of milk available and cause irritability, poor feeding and sleep disturbance in the infant. Given these concerns, a prudent approach is advised." Minors. Countries have different recommendations concerning the administration of alcohol to  minors by adults. References. Explanatory notes Citations