From the Guidelines
Men should limit their alcohol consumption to no more than 10 standard drinks per week, with no more than 2 drinks per day, and include at least 2 alcohol-free days per week. This recommendation is based on the most recent and highest quality study available, which suggests that weekly alcohol consumption of no more than 10 standard drinks can help avoid overall health risks 1. A standard drink contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol, which equals 12 ounces of regular beer (5% alcohol), 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol), or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (40% alcohol).
Key Considerations
- Drinking less is always better for health, as no amount of alcohol consumption is completely risk-free.
- Alcohol affects men differently than women due to differences in body composition and metabolism.
- Regular excessive drinking can lead to liver disease, cardiovascular problems, increased cancer risk, mental health issues, and dependency.
- Men should avoid binge drinking (consuming 5 or more drinks on a single occasion) and never drink before driving or operating machinery.
- Those with certain health conditions, taking medications that interact with alcohol, or with a personal or family history of alcohol use disorder should consider abstaining completely.
Rationale
The French Public Health Agency and a group of independent experts proposed consumption ‘benchmarks’ for the general population, which include not exceeding two standard drinks (i.e., 20 g of alcohol) per day with at least 2 days a week without drinking 1. Although these thresholds are debatable and not formally established in studies, they provide a simple message for the general population.
Cancer Risk
Alcohol use is associated with multiple cancers, including breast, colon, liver, esophageal, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers 1. The most frequent alcohol-related cancers are breast, colon, liver, and esophageal cancer.
Previous Guidelines
Previous guidelines recommended that men limit their alcohol consumption to no more than 14 standard drinks per week, with no more than 2 drinks per day, and include several alcohol-free days each week 1. However, the most recent study suggests that limiting consumption to 10 standard drinks per week is a more appropriate guideline to avoid overall health risks 1.
From the Research
Recommended Weekly Intake of Alcoholic Beverages for Males
- The recommended weekly intake of alcoholic beverages for males varies across different studies and guidelines.
- According to 2, the weekly drinking limit for men is no more than 14 drinks.
- However, the Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol, as reported in 3, recommend that healthy men should drink no more than ten standard drinks a week.
- A study published in 4 suggests that habitual light to moderate alcohol intake (up to 1 or 2 drinks per day for men) is associated with decreased risks for total mortality, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, and stroke.
- Another study, 5, found that the risk of alcoholism for men did not increase significantly before 22-41 drinks per week.
- In terms of adherence to recommended limits, a study published in 6 found that men exceeded weekly limits less frequently than women, with 12% of weeks exceeding the limit of 14 drinks per week.
Key Findings
- The weekly drinking limit for men is a topic of ongoing research and debate.
- Different studies and guidelines provide varying recommendations for the weekly intake of alcoholic beverages for males.
- Exceeding the recommended weekly limit can increase the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, as well as the risk of developing alcoholism.
- The relationship between alcohol consumption and health outcomes is complex, and more research is needed to fully understand the risks and benefits of different drinking patterns.