Articles
Alcohol use: Weighing risks and benefits
Possible health benefits of moderate alcohol use
Guidelines for moderate alcohol use
When to avoid alcohol use
The risks of heavy alcohol use
Drink alcohol only in moderation — or not at all
Defining moderate
Pros and cons of moderate alcohol use
Content
Defining moderate alcohol use
Risks of moderate alcohol use
Risks of heavy alcohol use
When to avoid alcohol
Deciding about drinking
Guidelines for moderate alcohol use
When to avoid alcohol use
The risks of heavy alcohol use
Drink alcohol only in moderation — or not at all
Defining moderate
Pros and cons of moderate alcohol use
Content
Defining moderate alcohol use
Risks of moderate alcohol use
Risks of heavy alcohol use
When to avoid alcohol
Deciding about drinking
Defining moderate alcohol use
Moderate alcohol use may not mean the same thing in research studies or among health agencies.
In the United States, moderate drinking for healthy adults is different for men and women. It means on days when a person does drink, women do not have more than one drink and men do not have more than two drinks.
Examples of one drink include:
- 12 fluid ounces (355 milliliters) of regular beer
- 5 fluid ounces (148 milliliters) of wine
- 1.5 fluid ounces (44 milliliters) of hard liquor or distilled spirits
Health agencies outside the U.S. may define one drink differently.
The term "moderate" also may be used differently. For example, it may be used to define the risk of illness or injury based on the number of drinks a person has in a week.
