What is the recommended weekly alcohol limit in units?

Recommended Weekly Alcohol Limits in Units

The recommended weekly alcohol limit is no more than 14 units for women and 21 units for men, with at least one alcohol-free day per week to reduce health risks including liver disease, cardiovascular complications, and cancer. 1

Understanding Alcohol Units

• A standard drink or unit varies by country: 8g of pure alcohol in the UK, 10g in Europe, 14g in the US, and 23.5g in Japan 1
• Common examples of one standard drink (UK definition):
  • 12 oz (356 ml) of beer
  • 5 oz (148 ml) of wine
  • 1.5 oz (44.4 ml) of distilled spirits 1

Evidence-Based Recommendations

General Population Guidelines

• Weekly consumption should not exceed 10 standard drinks to avoid overall health risks 1
• Daily consumption should be limited to 1-2 standard drinks per day 1
• At least 2 alcohol-free days per week are recommended 1

Sex-Specific Guidelines

• Men: No more than 21 units (standard drinks) per week 1
• Women: No more than 14 units (standard drinks) per week 1
• Older adults (≥65 years): Should follow the lower limits recommended for women (≤7 drinks per week) 1

Health Risks Associated with Alcohol Consumption

Liver Disease Risk

• Risk of cirrhosis increases significantly with alcohol consumption:
  • 2.9-4.9 times higher risk with daily consumption of 24-25g (approximately 2-3 standard drinks) 1
  • 12.5 times higher risk with consumption between 24-60g/day 1
• The threshold for hepatotoxic alcohol consumption varies by region:
  • European guidelines: 30g/day for men, 20g/day for women 1
  • American guidelines: 210g/week for men, 140g/week for women 1
  • Asian-Pacific guidelines: 140g/week for men, 70g/week for women 1

Cardiovascular Risk

• Blood pressure increases in a dose-dependent manner with alcohol consumption 2
• Risk of atrial fibrillation increases 10% for every standard drink above 14g/day 2
• The European Society of Cardiology recommends:
  • Less than 14 units/week for men
  • Less than 8 units/week for women 1

Cancer Risk

• Alcohol consumption is associated with multiple cancers including breast, colon, liver, esophageal, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers 1
• Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) increases with daily consumption above 50-60g 1
• More than 50% of alcohol-caused cancer deaths occur in people drinking within weekly limits 3

Pattern of Drinking Matters

• Binge drinking (≥5 drinks for men, ≥4 drinks for women in one sitting) increases risk of alcohol-related liver disease and all-cause mortality 1
• Drinking outside of meal times increases risk of alcohol-related liver disease by 2.7-fold 1
• Daily drinking carries a higher risk than less frequent drinking, with relative risk of 3.65 for daily consumption versus 1.34 for those who drink less than once a week 1

Special Populations

• Women are twice as sensitive to alcohol-mediated hepatotoxicity and may develop more severe alcohol-related liver disease at lower doses 1
• Pregnant women should abstain from alcohol completely 1
• People with existing liver conditions or taking medications that interact with alcohol should consider abstinence 1

Risk Assessment

• Exceeding daily drinking limits is strongly associated with alcohol use disorders, with risk increasing in a fairly linear fashion with frequency 4
• Even those drinking within guidelines are not completely protected from harm - they experience more deaths and hospitalizations than abstainers 3
• Recent evidence suggests that guidelines of around one drink per day may be most appropriate for high-income countries 3