Low Risk Drinking - Guidelines, Recommendations, Risks, and Benefits

Introduction:

The number of drinks a person drinks and the rate at which it is consumed is related to the amount of alcohol that enters the brain and how impaired the person becomes. Low-risk drinking guidelines are different for men as well as women. Following low-risk drinking guidelines reduces the risk of health problems like heart diseases, cancers, liver diseases, sleep-related issues, depression, and complications of existing conditions.

What Is a Standard Drink?

A standard drink is different, unlike a glass of beer or wine poured at home, a restaurant, or a pub. Standard drink definitions vary across other countries. A standard drink is 14 grams of pure alcohol in the United States. To understand and adhere to low-risk drinking guidelines and moderate alcohol intake to ensure a blood alcohol content that is legal for driving or for other safety reasons, there is necessary tracking of alcohol intake. Many countries have a national drink ranging from 8 to 23.5 grams of ethanol. Standard glass is expressed in ounces, milliliters, or other beverage types, depending on the country. Different countries utilize different methodologies to estimate or measure the alcohol content of drinks poured at home, bars, or restaurants.

What Are the Guidelines for Low-Risk Drinking?

According to National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for women, low-risk drinking is no more than three drinks on any occasion and not more than seven drinks per week. For men, it is not more than four drinks on any single occasion and not more than 14 drinks per week.

The guidelines for both men and women are:

• To help lowering health risks, it is safe not to drink more than 14 units a week regularly.

• If you drink more than 14 units per week, it is better to divide your drinking evenly over three or more days.

• Having one or two heavy drinks per week can increase your risk of developing health problems, including mouth and esophagus cancers.

• If you want to reduce the number of drinks, you can have some drink-free days each week.

What Are the Tips for Low-Risk Drinking?

There are different ways by which you can make sure you, as well as others, are within low-risk limits. You can follow these tips:

• Know what is a standard drink.

• Setting boundaries for yourself.

• Drink slowly.

• Do not drink and drive.

• You should eat before or while drinking.

• Try drinks with low alcohol content.

• Be a responsible host.

• Start alternating alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks.

• Educate your children about alcohol.

• Try having drinks that contain lower alcohol content.

• Keep track of your drinking habits.

When Should You Avoid Alcohol?

One should avoid drinking alcohol if:

• Pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

• History of hemorrhagic shock.

• Unwell, depressed.

• Liver or pancreatic disease.

• Any heart disease.

• History of stroke.

• Medication that interacts with alcohol.

• While or before swimming.

What Are the Recommendations for Low-Risk Drinking?

Advice for low-risk drinking is as follows:

• For Adults - Women should not drink more than two standard drinks a day and not more than ten drinks a week. Men should not drink three standard glasses a day and not more than 15 standard drinks a week, along with at least two alcohol-free days every week. On a single occasion, women should not drink more than four standard drinks, and men should not consume more than five drinks on any occasion.

• For Children - Not drinking alcohol is the safest option for children and young people under 18 years. Children need to avoid alcohol below 15 years of age. People aged 15 to 17 should delay drinking for as long as possible. But if they drink, they should be supervised, and the level should not exceed the lower adult daily limits.

• Drinking less than 14 units a week is considered to be low-risk drinking. However, there is no safe drinking level.

• Drinking too much on any single occasion can increase the risk of accidents which results in injuries and cause death in some cases, misjudging risky situations, making you lose your self-control, and getting involved in unnecessary violence.

How To Become a Low-Risk Drinker?

• Make positive changes in your life.

• Find reasons essential and meaningful to you and plan your day accordingly.

• Explore new things that may keep you busy and impact your life.

• Find someone who might help you achieve your goal.

• Try to identify the situations that might make you drink too much and plan for them accordingly.

What Are the Potential Risks and Benefits of Moderate Drinking?

Moderate alcohol drinking appears to have a relatively low health risk for many people. The benefits of moderate drinking as compared to heavy drinking are:

• Moderate drinkers have a lower mortality rate.

• The risk of diabetes is low in those who consume alcohol moderately.

• Mild to moderate alcohol intake reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular mortality.

• Average alcohol intake can also reduce the risk of gallstones.

The potential risks of moderate alcohol drinking are:

• Alcohol has been associated with an increased risk of cancers like head and neck, breast, and gastrointestinal cancers.

• Heavy alcohol drinking can increase the risk of liver disease.

• It increases the risk of gout flares in people who have gout.

• Heavy alcohol intake increases the risk of mortality and morbidity from trauma.

Conclusion:

Low-risk is not no-risk. Even if you are drinking within low-risk limits, different factors affect your risk level, including the rate of drinking, the type of body and the genetic makeup, gender, age, and other existing problems.