When it comes to booze, the recommended limits for alcohol consumption in 2024 are pretty much the same as 2004. However, there has been a significant shift in the messaging and interpretation of these guidelines with an increased emphasis on risks.
Even though there was nothing shouted down from the mountains to cause a seismic shift in our drinking habits, many of us have sensed that we could do with less and started playing drinking games with themselves like “Dry January” or drink only beer.
But scientists are now raising red flags about the health risks of even moderate drinking. If that strikes a nerve because you like to have a drink now and then, you might wonder if drawing the line at two drinks a day really makes a difference over no more than one.
ConsumerAffairs asked several healthcare professionals for their take on alcohol consumption to try and get a better handle on what the current answers to those questions are. And we should warn you: some of their truths might unnerve you.
How much?
Current U.S. guidelines suggest no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women. Up North, Canadian researchers have moved away from the U.S.’ thinking and now believe keeping it to two drinks or less a week is low risk.
If you’re going to side with the U.S. experts and their two drinks a day breaking point, understand that’s a pretty firm line in the sand. It’s at that point people increase their risk of health problems – heart disease, liver problems, and several cancers, including breast and colorectal cancer.
What you also need to understand is that what you consider “a standard drink” is probably far from what health experts consider as such. In the U.S., a standard drink is:
- 12 ounces of beer
- 5 ounces of wine
- 1.5 ounces of spirits
Beer is easy to figure out because most come in 12 oz. sizes, but wine and liquor drinkers tend to have a heavier hand and often pour themselves more than the recommended amount. And liquor is generally more dangerous than beer/wine, especially when consumed straight.
Binge drinker?
Bad idea, experts say. Having four or five or more drinks in one sitting is especially risky. It can lead to injuries, accidents, and increases your chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Woman drinkers
Women face greater risks from alcohol than men because they have lower levels of an enzyme – alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) – that breaks it down. In general, lower levels of ADH means they absorb a higher percentage of alcohol into the bloodstream, leading to higher blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) for the same amount of alcohol consumed. A good thing to remember if you’re drinking at a bar or drinking and driving.
Family history matters
Dr. Linnea Axman, associate dean of Graduate Studies in the College of Nursing at University of Phoenix, told ConsumerAffairs that if Alcohol Use Disorder – a strong urge to drink alcohol or the inability to stop once you’ve started – runs in your family, you might want to put the bottle away forever or seriously limit the amount you drink.
“Because there is a definite genetic component, and you may be predisposed to developing the disorder after just one drink,” she said.
What if you quit the booze?
In short, you improve your health. In addition to lowering your risk of cancer considerably, Axman says you can expect your liver to heal itself so it can then spend more time detoxifying other substances.
Plus, there are fewer free radicals that cause bad cholesterol to line the coronary arteries, and eliminating alcohol can lead to weight loss, improved memory, and sleep quality.
She says not to expect a Cinderella-type transformation overnight, though. “Changes in sleep quality can improve within a few days; changes to other body systems can take longer but healing may occur in as soon as 30 days,” she estimates.
What’s the verdict?
For those who have a beer with the boys once a week, or a glass of wine at a dinner party, you should be fine. However, for some of you others – the frequent drinkers – you have a hard truth to swallow: quit altogether, pull waaaaay back, or let the dice fall where they may.
Dr. Jason Kellogg, medical director at Hotel California by the Sea, is one of the hardliners and thinks that the long-term effects of alcohol can be severe.
“Continuous heavy drinking can cause liver damage -- such as fatty liver, hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Chronic heavy drinking can also lead to cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Alcohol use is linked to mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, and can exacerbate existing mental health conditions.”
Kellogg suggests that if you think you’re toeing the line with what the U.S. guidelines are, it can still lead to alcohol dependence and addiction. And, even at that, alcohol consumption still increases the risk of several cancers – mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, and breast cancer. It can also weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections.
The other two professionals ConsumerAffairs spoke to went a little easier, but both say that anyone who even thinks they’re drinking too much, probably is, and needs to take some action.
Axman says it’s a personal decision. “But if you routinely drink 4 or more alcoholic beverages a day, you should cut down.”
Dr. Lenny Pianko, cardiologist at Aventura Cardiovascular Center considers “extensive” drinking detrimental to your health, but does not believe you need to abstain entirely unless recommended by your physician.
“However, we should all consider limiting the consumption of alcohol based on our age and physical and mental status. There is no one-size-fits-all rule for alcohol consumption but the latest reports should have us all thinking about the possible consequences and limited benefits,” he said.
