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Summary
If you are like many Americans, you drink alcohol at least occasionally. For many people, moderate drinking is probably safe. It may even have health benefits, including reducing your risk of certain heart problems. For most women and for most people over 65, moderate drinking is no more than three drinks a day or seven drinks per week. For men under 65, it is no more than four drinks a day or 14 drinks per week.
Some people should not drink at all, including alcoholics, children, pregnant women, people taking certain medicines, and people with certain medical conditions. If you have questions about whether it is safe for you to drink, speak with your health care provider.
Anything more than moderate drinking can be risky. Heavy drinking can lead to alcoholism and alcohol abuse, as well as injuries, liver disease, heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. It can also cause problems at home, at work, and with friends.
NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Diagnosis and Tests
- Blood Alcohol Level (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
- College Drinking - Changing the Culture (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Tips for Cutting Down on Drinking (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Related Issues
- Alcohol Alert: Alcohol's Damaging Effects on the Brain (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Alcohol Alert: Link Between Stress and Alcohol (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Alcohol and Heart Health (American Heart Association)
- Alcohol Intolerance (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Alcohol Overdose: The Dangers of Drinking Too Much (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Alcohol Poisoning (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Alcohol Use and Cancer (American Cancer Society) - PDF
- Alcohol's Effects on the Body (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Alcohol: Does It Affect Blood Pressure? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Antidepressants and Alcohol (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Caffeine and Alcohol (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Drinking Levels Defined (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Drugged Driving (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish
- Hangovers (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Harmful Interactions: Mixing Alcohol with Medicines (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) Also in Spanish
- Risky Drinking Can Put a Chill on Your Summer Fun (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Using Alcohol to Relieve Your Pain: What Are the Risks? (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) - PDF
Health Check Tools
- Alcohol Calorie Calculator (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Calculators (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Interactive Worksheets and More (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Statistics and Research
- Alcohol and Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Alcohol Facts and Statistics (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Calories Consumed from Alcoholic Beverages by U.S. Adults, 2007-2010 (National Center for Health Statistics)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Importance of effusion of blood under the dura mater in...
- Article: The Effects of Alcohol and Drugs of Abuse on Maternal...
- Article: The impact of alcohol on breathing parameters during sleep: A...
- Alcohol -- see more articles
- Benefits of alcohol drinking -- see more articles
- Binge drinking -- see more articles
- Drinking and driving -- see more articles
Reference Desk
- NIAAA Spectrum (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Find an Expert
- Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Getting Help (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Men
- Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Men's Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Women
- Alcohol: A Women's Health Issue (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) Also in Spanish
- Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Women's Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Women and Alcohol (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) - PDF
Seniors
- Facts About Aging and Alcohol (National Institute on Aging) Also in Spanish
- Older Adults and Alcohol (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Patient Handouts
- Alcohol use and safe drinking (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Calorie count - Alcoholic beverages (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Deciding to quit drinking alcohol (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Health risks of alcohol use (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Weight loss and alcohol (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- What type of drinker are you? (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- When you are drinking too much - tips for cutting back (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish