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What’s moderate drinking?
Drinking any amount of alcohol decreases your ability to make good decisions. But when you go beyond the moderate level, you could injure -- even kill -- yourself or someone else. You may also develop long-term health problems like cancer, high blood pressure, liver disease, pancreatitis or cardiomyopathy.
So what's moderate drinking?
- For men, it's two standard-size drinks a day.
- For women and anyone older than 65, it's only one.
A standard-size drink equals…
- one 12-ounce bottle of wine cooler or beer, except for malt liquor beer (It has more alcohol than most beers.)
- one 5-ounce glass of wine
- 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits (vodka, whiskey, etc.)
Remember. A standard drink becomes more potent when you're sitting out in the sun because your body will absorb the alcohol more quickly.
Related Links
Allina Behavioral Health Services: Substance abuse programs
Source: National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., Dietary guidelines for Americans; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Alcohol: What you don't know can harm you, NIH publication no. 99–4323
First published: 06/23/2002
Last updated: 11/28/2006
Reviewed by: Paul Kleeberg, MD, medical director, Allina.com