HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH
A safe amount of alcohol depends on a person’s body weight, size, age and whether they are male or female. Women absorb more alcohol than men, so their risk of liver damage from alcohol is higher.
Older women with healthy livers should not drink more than one alcoholic beverage a day (or five drinks in one week). Older men with healthy livers should not drink more than one to two drinks a day (or 7 drinks in one week.) Having two to three alcoholic drinks every day and binge drinking can harm your liver. Binge drinking is when you drink more than five drinks in one sitting. If you already have a liver disease, you should stop drinking alcohol.
RECOMMENDED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONSUMPTION IN ONE WEEK
Types of Alcohol | Women | Men |
---|---|---|
BEER 12 ounces (330 ml) of beer (small can of beer | 5 cans per week | 7 cans per week |
WINE 5 ounces (142 ml) of wine | 5 glasses per week | 7 glasses per week |
SPIRITS 1½ ounces (43 ml) of spirits or hard liquor (gin, rum, whiskey, others) | 5 shots per week | 7 shots per week |
WHAT IS IN A DRINK?
One of the problems with calculating your level of drinking has to do with measurement. Wine, beer, spirits and cider contain different percentages of alcohol—the higher the percent, the more alcohol. It takes the body an hour to process 10 ml of alcohol. Nothing can speed up this process. The type of alcoholic drink and your size and weight are factors in determining daily limits.
In general, one drink is:
12 ounces (330 ml) of beer
(small can of beer)
5 ounces (142 ml)
of wine
1.5 ounces (43 ml) of spirits or hard liquor
(gin, rum, whiskey, others)
BEER
The standard size of a beer can in North America is 12 ounces, and in Canada beer alcohol content ranges from 4% to 6%.
WINE
A standard bottle (750 ml of wine with 13% alcohol contains ten 75 ml glasses. A standard restaurant serving is a 5 ounce glass.
SPIRITS
Many spirits contain up to 40% alcohol.
A standard measure is 1.5 ounces.
HOW DOES ALCOHOL IMPACT YOUR HEALTH?
Excessive drinking is associated with many chronic health conditions, especially cancer. While alcohol presents many health risks, it has no benefit to your health. This runs contrary to the common misperception that red wine, for instance, has benefits to heart health. The amount of alcohol you drink is important, not the kind of alcohol you drink. Some of the specific health effects and risks of alcohol abuse include:
- High blood pressure, which increases risk of
heart failure, kidney damage, brain damage, and
stroke - Depression
- Liver damage
- Anemia
- Nerve damage
- Wet brain, which is a serious form of brain damage
that causes lack of muscle coordination, major
memory problems, hallucinations and vision
impairment - Multiple types of cancer
HOW DOES ALCOHOL IMPACT LIFE EXPECTANCY?
Alcohol consumption in general –and excessive drinking in particular— lowers life expectancy. Severe alcoholism can take 10 to 12 years off your life.
HOW DOES ALCOHOL USE AFFECT MEDICATIONS?
It is dangerous to drink alcohol with prescription and over-the-counter medications, such as:
- Antibiotics
- Blood thinners
- Antidepressants
- Sedatives
- Pain medication
- Muscle relaxants
WHAT IS ALCOHOLISM?
Alcoholism, or Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), is the uncontrolled drinking of alcoholic beverages to the point that one’s health and social life are damaged. We often hear the term problem drinker, meaning a person not necessarily addicted to alcohol but who may have problems with their health or conflicts in their social or working life because of regular or binge drinking. The line between problem drinking and an Alcohol Use Disorder can be blurred.
WHAT CAN ALCOHOLISM LOOK LIKE?
Asking questions about your alcohol use can help you reflect on the role alcohol plays in your life. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you ever drink alone?
- Can you stop drinking once you’ve started?
- Do you think you might have a problem with alcohol?
- Are you medicating yourself with alcohol to solve problems in your life?
- Do you prefer to spend time with friends or co-workers who drink alcohol?
- Has drinking ever caused you to miss work or social events?
Some symptoms of more severe alcohol use include:
- Excessive sweating
- Mood swings or depression
- Memory loss after drinking
- Erectile dysfunction
- Insomnia
- Hallucinations
If you answer yes to some of the questions above, or experience any of the symptoms above, you may benefit from examining your relationship with alcohol.
WHAT ARE TIPS TO REDUCE HOW MUCH ALCOHOL YOU DRINK?
If you want to reduce your alcohol intake, use some of these strategies:
- Write down a goal of how many drinks per week you would like to have and count your drinks throughout the week. Tell a friend or family member what your goal is.
- Measure your drinks to ensure you are always having a standard drink.
- Space out the drinks with soda, water or another beverage.
- Avoid “triggers”—the circumstances in which you think you drink too much. For instance, meet friends at a coffee shop instead of a bar.
- Use activities other than drinking to relax.
- Eat. Don’t rely on alcohol for your calories.
- Set alcohol-free days, weeks, months or years.
- Learn “mocktail” recipes.
- Look for low-alcohol beer or wine.
Some ways to let others know you are trying to cut back are to say:
- I’m the designated driver
- Thanks, don’t feel like it just now
- I’ve had my limit
- I’m working later on
- I’m getting up early
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION
The Canadian Mental Health Association provides information and services for individuals who are struggling with a mental health issue and would benefit from support.
CANADIAN COALITION FOR SENIORS’ MENTAL HEALTH
Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health shares information, resources and links to other organizations to promote mental health among older adults.
CONNEXONTARIO
ConnexOntario provides free and confidential health services information for people experiencing problems with alcohol and drugs, mental illness and/or gambling. The information and referral services are available 24 hours a day.
CENTRE FOR ADDICTONS AND MENTAL HEALTH
Offers counselling services for individuals struggling with problem drinking and alcoholism, and is a source of information about addictions, management strategies and further resources.
WOODGREEN COMMUNITY SERVICE
WoodGreen Community Services provides a variety of counselling and support services to individuals with mental health, addictions or substance use issues.
Modified: 2024-02
We would like to thank the following for their support of our Education Resources to Support Healthy Ageing Initiative
- Mon Sheong Foundation and the Ben and Hilda Katz Foundation have generously provided funding to support printing and translation of our Education Resources to Support Healthy Ageing.
- The Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility supported this initiative with funding through its Seniors Community Grant Program.