How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?

Knowing what’s a standard drink can help improve your health

From visiting your favorite happy hour spot with friends to pouring yourself a glass of wine with dinner at home, it can be tough to know how much alcohol is too much.

There’s a wide range of individual understanding of “1 drink.” Some beverages like craft beers and certain wines can have higher alcohol percentages, so your single serving — a 12-ounce beer or 5-ounce wine pour — could exceed a standard drink measurement. This makes it much harder to track how much you’ve had.

“How much, how fast and how often you drink alcohol all factor into how much alcohol enters your bloodstream,” says Adrienne Tounsel, MD, a primary care physician at Geisinger. “Knowing what’s considered 1 drink can help you better manage your drinking habits and stay within recommended limits to reduce your risk for alcohol-related health problems.”

What’s a standard drink?

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) says a standard drink measurement contains about 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol, which can differ depending on the type of drink. Monitoring your alcohol use starts with understanding how much alcohol is in your drink of choice.

Beer

A standard drink of beer is 12 ounces, which is 1 can or bottle. Most beers used to only have about 5% alcohol. Light beers measure around 4.5% alcohol. But as craft beers have gained in popularity, so has their alcohol content.

“Some craft beers are 8% or 9% alcohol, which means you might feel the effects after 1 beer,” says Dr. Tounsel. “A 12-ounce can of many craft beers — and some malt beverages like hard seltzers — can be equivalent to 1.5 standard drinks due to the higher alcohol content.”

Wine

Pouring yourself a glass of wine with dinner after a tough day? You’re likely drinking more than the standard 5 ounces per glass for table wine, which typically contains about 12% of alcohol. Wine glasses are larger than the actual serving, which can make it difficult to measure and encourage larger pours.

Instead of “eyeballing” it, try using a liquid measuring cup or filling a dry measuring cup short of the 2/3-cup mark.

Liquor

A standard drink of liquor like rum, gin or tequila is 1.5 ounces. Liquor is often around 40% alcohol (80 proof). A simple mixed drink might be OK, but more complex cocktails can contain several ounces of liquor, depending on the recipe.

“When it comes to mixed drinks, know the limits with drinking,” says Dr. Tounsel. “Your favorite cocktail might have more than 1 standard drink of alcohol in it. So, be sure to check labels for alcohol content and adjust your intake accordingly.”

How much alcohol is too much?

In general, the less alcohol, the better. Current research suggests any amount of alcohol can harm your health and there’s no safe level of drinking.

However, for healthy adults who choose to drink, the CDC recommends drinking in moderation to reduce — but not eliminate — your risk for alcohol-related health problems. That equates to no more than 1 standard drink a day for women (or no more than 7 in a week) and no more than 2 standard drinks a day for men (or no more than 14 per week).

Heavy drinking and binge drinking

There are 2 types of drinking behaviors that are considered problematic: heavy drinking and binge drinking.

The NIAAA defines heavy drinking as consuming:

3 or more drinks on any day or 7 or more per week for women under age 65
4 or more drinks on any day or 14 or more per week for men under age 65

It defines binge drinking as drinking enough to raise your blood alcohol content to .08 percent or higher. That usually happens if women have 4 or more drinks or men have 5 or more drinks within about 2 hours.

“Many people surpass moderate drinking limits without knowing it because they underestimate their consumption,” says Dr. Tounsel. “Excessive drinking can lead to severe health problems, including addiction, mental health issues and increased accident risk.”

Dangers of drinking too much alcohol

Excessive alcohol consumption (including heavy and binge drinking) can have immediate and long-term effects on the body. In the short term, excessive drinking can impair judgment, coordination and reaction times, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.

It can also cause alcohol poisoning, when high blood alcohol levels affect body functions, such as breathing and heart rate, and can cause death.

Over time, frequent excessive drinking can lead to health problems, including:

High blood pressure
Heart disease
Stroke
Irregular heart beats
Fatty liver disease or cirrhosis
Brain damage
Increased risk of cancer, including colon, breast and liver cancers

Chronic alcohol consumption can weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections and diseases, and negatively impact mental health. Alcohol is a depressant, which can help you feel relaxed at first. But the blissful feeling wears off, and it can make depression, stress or anxiety feel worse.

When is it time to get help?

Know your limits, and if you have difficulty drinking in moderation, it might be time to seek help.

Some signs to consider if you think you’re drinking too much:

You think about drinking a lot
You tend to drink more than you originally planned
Every time you drink, you need more alcohol to feel a “buzz”
It’s beginning to affect your life, like taking more time off work or missing important events
You’re no longer interested in activities you once enjoyed
Family and/or friends have confronted you about your alcohol consumption
You participate in dangerous activities when drunk like driving while under the influence
You keep trying to stop, but can’t

If any of these signs seem familiar, a good first step is to talk to your primary care provider. Your provider can screen for unhealthy use and discuss treatment options, medication to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. A PCP also is a good source for referrals.

In addition, you can search local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings or call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline. And if you’re ready to overcome a substance use disorder, Geisinger’s Marworth Treatment Center can help you break the cycle of addiction in a safe and supportive environment.

“Seeking help is a sign of strength,” says Dr. Tounsel. “And while giving up alcohol can be difficult, the health benefits will be well worth it.”