Recommended Safe Limits of Alcohol

Men should not drink more than 4 units of alcohol a day, and that equates to no more than 21 units in a week.
Women should not drink more than 3 units of alcohol a day, and that equates to no more than 14 units in a week.
Pregnant women The exact amount of alcohol that is consumable without hurting an unborn baby is unknown this is why it is recommended and believed that it is far safer to avoid alcohol during pregnancy.

The more you drink above these limits, the greater the risk of developing serious problems such as liver disease.

What is a unit of alcohol?

One unit is measured at 10ml (1cl) by volume, or 8g by weight, of pure alcohol. For example:

One unit is about equal to:

Half a pint of ordinary strength beer, lager, or cider (3–4% alcohol by volume), or
A small pub measure (25ml) of spirits (40% alcohol by volume), or
A standard pub measure (50ml) of fortified wine such as sherry or port (20% alcohol by volume).

There are one and a half units of alcohol in:

A small glass (125ml) of ordinary strength wine (12% alcohol by volume), or
A standard pub measure (35ml) of spirits (40% alcohol by volume).

A more accurate way of calculating units is as follows. The percentage alcohol by volume (% abv) of any drink equals the number of units in one litre of that drink. For example:

Strong beer at 6% abv has six units in one litre. If you drink half a litre (500ml) - just under a pint - then you have had three units.
Wine at 12% abv has 12 units in one litre. If you drink a quarter of a litre (250 ml) - two small glasses, then you have had three units.

Some other examples

Three pints of beer, three times per week, is at least 18 units per week. That is nearly the upper weekly safe limit for a man to drink. However, each drinking session of three pints is at least six units, which is more than the safe limit of drink advised for any one day. Another example: a 750ml bottle of 12% wine contains nine units. If you drink two bottles of 12% wine over a week, which is 18 units. This is above the upper safe limit for a woman to drink.

Isn't alcohol good for you?

Yes, for men over 40 and for women past the menopause, drinking a small amount of alcohol (1-2 units per day) helps to protect against heart disease and stroke.

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