Overview

Drinking too much alcohol harms your liver, nervous system, heart, and brain. It can cause health problems or make them worse. These problems include:

• Changes to how your brain works, which can impact your moods and how you act. It can make it hard to think clearly or can make you clumsy.
• Cirrhosis or pancreatitis.
• High blood pressure.
• Heart disease.
• Osteoporosis.
• Cancer of the breast, tongue, esophagus, throat, voice box, liver, colon, or rectum.
• Stroke.
• A brain disorder called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
• Being less able to fight off infections or other illnesses.

Using alcohol also can cause stomach problems, interactions between medicines and alcohol, and sexual problems. It can lead to violence, injuries, social isolation, and problems at work, school, or home. It can cause problems in relationships with partners and children. You also may have legal problems, such as traffic tickets or car crashes, as a result of drinking.

Drinking alcohol can cause unique problems for older adults and people who are pregnant or who have other health conditions. If you are pregnant, you should not drink any alcohol because it can harm your baby. Older adults can be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol, meaning it has bigger effects.

Drinking also makes symptoms of mental health conditions worse. You might see changes in your sleep, mood, or appetite. It may be hard to think clearly. You may feel disconnected or nervous. It is important to get help to manage these symptoms. You may drink less when mental health conditions are treated.

How much alcohol is safe to drink?

Canadian health experts say:

• If you drink, try to drink less. A standard drink (Figure 1) is a 341 mL (12 fl oz) can of 5% beer, hard cider or hard seltzer, a 142 mL (5 fl oz) glass of 12% wine, or a mixed drink with 43 mL (1.5 fl oz) of 40% liquor.
• Canadian health experts say that your risk of harm from alcohol is:
  • Low if you have 2 standard drinks or less per week.
  • Moderate if you have between 3 and 6 drinks per week.
  • High if you have 7 or more drinks per week. (Each additional standard drink increases the risk of alcohol-related consequences.)

Having more than 2 drinks in one sitting increases your risk of harm to yourself and others, including injuries and violence. And not drinking has benefits, such as better health and sleep.

Drinking has a greater effect on women because they typically weigh less. But this isn't the only reason. Women's bodies have less water than men's bodies. Alcohol mixes with body water. So alcohol is more concentrated and more "powerful" in women than in men. Think of putting a drop of red food colouring in both a small and a large cup of water. The water in the smaller cup will be much redder.

When is drinking alcohol unhealthy or unsafe?

There are certain times when drinking any amount of alcohol is unhealthy. You shouldn't drink if:

• You need to drive a car or operate other machinery.
• You are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Drinking during pregnancy makes a miscarriage or fetal alcohol syndrome more likely. A child who was exposed to alcohol in the womb may have physical and emotional problems. These problems can range from mild difficulties to severe birth defects.
• You breastfeed your child. If you choose to drink, breastfeed just before you drink alcohol. And wait to breastfeed at least 2 hours after you have a drink to reduce the amount of alcohol the baby may get in the milk.
• You take certain medicines. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you can safely drink alcohol with any of the medicines you take. Common medicines that interact with alcohol include:
  • Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol).
  • Antibiotics.
  • Antihistamines.
  • Aspirin and other medicines to prevent clotting of blood (anticoagulants).
  • Tranquilizers.
  • Medicines to treat depression or other mental health conditions.
  • Any medicine that can make you drowsy. (Check the label.)
• You have certain health problems. Ask your doctor if you can safely drink alcohol if you have any of the following problems:
  • Liver, stomach, and intestine problems.
  • Heart failure and high blood pressure.
  • Certain blood disorders.
  • Mental health conditions.
• You have problems controlling how much or when you drink, or you had problems in the past.
• You're at work.
• You plan to play sports or take part in physical activities.
• You're taking care of someone or supervising others.
• You need to make important decisions.

What can you do to lower your or someone else's risk of harm from drinking?

If you choose to drink, here are some things you can do to reduce your risk of getting sick or injured:

• Have a meal or a snack with your drink. Don't drink on an empty stomach.
• Drink slowly. Don't have more than 2 standard drinks in one sitting.
• Have a glass of water or non-alcoholic beverage before you start and between drinks.
• Find a safe way to get home after you drink alcohol. Make sure the vehicle driver has not been drinking. Use a bus or train, take a taxi or rideshare (like Uber or Lyft), or plan for a designated driver.
• Check with your doctor or pharmacist about over-the-counter and prescription medicines you take. Follow their advice about how to take them safely.

Sometimes you see people who have had too much to drink or are in a risky situation. Here are some things you can do to help reduce that person's risk of harm. You can:

• Take the person's car keys so they won't drink and drive. Help them find a different, safe way to get home.
• Remove sharp objects and glassware from dance and party locations so the person won't hurt themself or others.
• Provide water so the person doesn't get dehydrated.
• Encourage the person to eat snacks while they are drinking.

Figure 1 - Standard alcoholic drink

Beer, wine, and hard liquor (distilled spirits) all contain alcohol. The following common alcoholic drinks contain equal amounts of alcohol and are often referred to as a drink or a standard drink.

• One mixed drink containing 43 mL (1.5 fl oz) of 40% hard liquor, such as vodka, gin, rye whiskey, or rum
• One 142 mL (5 fl oz) glass of 12% wine
• One 341 mL (12 fl oz) bottle of 5% beer, hard cider, or hard seltzer.

Proof is the amount of alcohol in hard liquor or distilled spirits. The percentage of pure alcohol in the hard liquor is usually one-half the proof. For example, a 100-proof liquor is about 50% pure alcohol. Thus, the higher the proof, the more pure alcohol the hard liquor contains.

Current as of: November 15, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.