Alcohol and your health
To minimise risks in the short and longer term alcohol guidelines have been set by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) at:
For men:
• no more than 4 standard drinks a day on average; and
• no more than 6 standard drinks on any one day.
For women:
• no more than 2 standard drinks a day on average; and
• no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.
It is recommended men have no more than 2 standard drinks in the first hour and 1 per hour after that, and women have no more than 1 standard drink per hour. It's also recommended that everyone should have 1 or 2 alcohol-free days a week.
The guidelines are for people who are average or larger size. People below average body size need to take extra caution. For more information, visit the Australian Alcohol Guidelines section of the Federal Government's Department of Health and Ageing.
Health risks
Alcohol has a range of short-term effects. These include: effects on the brain; stress; sleep disorder and sexual dysfunction; gut and pancreas problems; heart and circulation; risky or suicidal behaviour; injury and death.
Over time, regular excess drinking of alcohol increases the risk of developing: cancer; cirrhosis of the liver; cognitive problems and dementia; and alcohol dependence.
For more information on health issues related to alcohol consumption visit Australian Alcohol Guidelines or the following organisations:
Alcohol and social problems
As well as severely affecting your health, excessive alcohol consumption can result in:
- family problems
- financial problems
- legal problems
- violent behaviour
- risk-taking
- offensive behaviour or acts of vandalism
- drink-driving which may lead to fines, loss of licence and even imprisonment
- work problems (illness, resulting in absenteeism, poor work performance and accidents at work)
- sexual problems (eg. unprotected sex, sexual dysfunction etc)
- accidents (the risk of road, boating and work-related accidents is increased)
- deteriorating appearance (alcohol can affect the condition of skin and hair, and the high calorie content of alcoholic drinks can lead to weight gain)
Drinking less
Tips for a safe night out:
- Start with a soft drink: You will drink much faster if you are thirsty, so have a non-alcoholic drink to quench your thirst before you start drinking alcohol.
- Use standard drinks: Monitor how much alcohol you drink. By converting what you drink into standard drinks, it is easier to keep track.
- Drink slowly: Take sips and not gulps. Put your glass down between sips.
- Eat before or while you are drinking: Eating slows your drinking pace and fills you up. If you have a full stomach, alcohol will be absorbed more slowly.
- Avoid salty snacks: Salty food like chips or nuts make you thirsty, so you drink more.
- Avoid 'shouts': Don't get involved in 'shouts', or rounds. Drink at your own pace not someone else's. If you do get stuck in a shout, buy a non-alcoholic drink for yourself when it's your turn.
- One drink at a time: Don't let people top up your drinks. It is hard to keep track of how much alcohol is drunk.
- Pace yourself: Try having a 'spacer', a non-alcoholic drink every second or third drink.
- Stay busy: If you have something to do, you tend to drink less. Play pool or dance - don't just sit and drink.
- Try the low-alcohol alternative: A wide range of light beers are available. Low-alcohol or non-alcoholic wines are also becoming more available. Most places that serve cocktails also serve non-alcoholic versions.
- Have alcohol-free days: Have at least two days a week when you don't drink at all.
- Keep a diary: Write down how much you drink each day. This can make you more aware of exactly how much you drink.
- Be assertive: Don't be pressured into drinking more than you want or intend to. Tell your friends 'thanks, but no thanks'.
More information is available in the Responsible alcohol consumption fact sheet (PDF 545 K).
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Last reviewed 14 January 2009
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