Alcohol | Low Risk Drinking

Drinking Guidelines Below are some <UNDEFINED>guidelines</UNDEFINED> to help you decide whether the amount you drink is safe for your particular situation.  There's a set of "safer drinking levels" for men and for women, based on medical and scientific research from here and overseas. It must be remembered, that there is no level of drinking that is safe for all people all the time. Factors like health, age, and weight, directly affect how much it is safe for you to drink. For some, no alcohol is the only safe option. These limits are based on a measurement called the <A href="http://www.alac.org.nz/WhatsInAStandardDrink.aspx" target=_blank>'standard drink'</A>. Each standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol. Here's how many standard drinks there are in typical servings: In any one week, drink no more than<UL><LI>21 standard drinks (for men)<LI>14 standard drinks (for women)</LI></UL>On any one drinking occasion drink no more th

Drinking Guidelines

Below are some guidelines to help you decide whether the amount you drink is safe for your particular situation. There's a set of "safer drinking levels" for men and for women, based on medical and scientific research from here and overseas.

It must be remembered, that there is no level of drinking that is safe for all people all the time. Factors like health, age, and weight, directly affect how much it is safe for you to drink. For some, no alcohol is the only safe option.

These limits are based on a measurement called the 'standard
drink'. Each standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol. Here's how many standard drinks there are in typical servings:

In any one week, drink no more than

21 standard drinks (for men)
14 standard drinks (for women)

On any one drinking occasion drink no more than

six standard drinks (for men)
four standard drinks (for women)

When drinking alcohol eat some food as well.

Remember

These are general guidelines. Even if you drink less than these limits, your drinking will not be safe in all situations. There are some people who should not consume alcohol, or limit their use to less than these guideline amounts

During pregnancy - the risk of birth defects is greater if pregnant women drink, especially in the first eight to twelve weeks of pregnancy. During pregnancy, it is better not to drink any alcohol at all;
Thin people - those below average body weight (60kg for men, 50kg for women;
Young people;
Older people because their bodies are less able to handle the effects of alcohol;
People with a strong family history of alcoholism;
People who are or have been dependent on other drugs;
People who have a poor diet, or are under-nourished.

Research suggests the more alcohol some women drink, the greater their risk of developing breast cancer .

These guidelines may be too high when you're

Driving;
Operating machinery;
Boating, scuba diving etc;
Taking medication aspirin or any other drugs that irritate the stomach, such as steroids or anti-flammatory drugs;
Taking sleeping pills or tranquillisers, anti-depressants or narcotics;
Suffering an acute or chronic physical disease such as heart and lung disease, influenza, diabetes, epilepsy or acute infections;
Recovering from an accident, injury or operation;
Drinking regularly to relieve stress or get to sleep.

Check your drinking on the Drinkcheck test.

Practical guidelines

As well as sticking to the recommended guidelines for low risk drinking, there are two main ways you can make your drinking safer:

Have some alcohol-free days each week

Each week, have two or more days when you don't drink any alcohol at all. This helps your body recover from the effects of the alcohol.

Some people choose the same two or three days each week for their alcohol-free days. Others choose every second day. Choose whatever suits you best, and keep to it.

Avoid binge drinking

One of the most dangerous types of drinking is when you have a binge. That is, when you drink a lot more than usual on any one occasion.

If you want to find out if your drinking is risky, do the Drinkcheck test.

For more information

If you think you may be drinking too much, or know someone who has problems with drinking, talk to your doctor or phone the Alcohol & Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797. It's a free service.

The upper limits for responsible drinking are endorsed by the following organisations: