How Much Alcohol is Too Much

Want to know how much alcohol exactly, is considered too much, and depending on what parameters? Continue reading …

The effects of alcohol are huge and we must know them to want to quit drinking. Alcohol units for safe drinking differ from state to state and country to country. However, all figures are very close and there isn’t much difference. In this article, we shall see what exactly are considered units for safe drinking and alcohol overdose as well. After that, we shall have a look at what is safe drinking per day and per week.

The Units

We know that to measure anything, we need units. Similarly, if you want to know how much alcohol is too much, we need to have units to measure. The following table will tell you the approximate units that are stated to measure an individual’s alcohol intake. These also help in determining the different types of alcoholism. This units, as I have said before, will differ from region to region, but the difference isn’t much. To be exactly sure, you can approach your state office for the rules and regulations regarding alcohol intake.

*The figures mentioned above are approximate and should not be considered legally binding for any state.

How Much Alcohol is Too Much to Drive?

The alcohol intake limits before driving, differ for men and women. While men can have no more than 3―4 units per day, for women it is 2―3. Anything more than this is usually considered a case of drunk driving. You should also avoid alcohol for 48 hours after the last time you got drunk. Alcohol content while driving is measured by Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) which in turn is measured as following:

Milligrams of alcohol/100 milliliters of blood

How Much Alcohol is Too Much for The Liver?

In 2005, 8 million people in the UK were affected by alcohol problems according to the Charity Alcohol Concern. Individuals who drink more than the said capacity of alcohol can develop three major types of alcohol problems: liver cirrhosis, fatty liver, and hepatitis. A fatty liver is when there is fat concentrated in the liver. This condition can be reversed if you stop alcohol intake completely. Hepatitis is basically inflammation of the liver. This can range from mild to severe. Severe conditions can cause jaundice, coma, and complete liver failure; it can also be fatal. Cirrhosis is when the tissue in the liver is replaced by scar (fibrosis) tissue―a serious condition. Thus, liver damage from alcohol is something we all should be worrying about. Drinking everyday, however little, is a habit that can damage your liver in the long run.

How Much Alcohol is Too Much Per Day?

For those who drink everyday or have a really active social life, you need to be careful. It is said that for men, three units of alcohol is the daily limit. For women, it is two units per day. We have seen the units above and thus, you can now calculate where exactly you stand at the moment. This is not all. It is also said that you should have at least two days a week where you don’t consume alcohol at all. Now, you have the perfect figures for your daily and weekly intake.

Now that you know what quantity of alcohol is considered too much, and why, you need to start keeping yourself in control if you are exceeding any. We must understand that everything has a threshold and crossing or even reaching that, is never a good thing. Anything more than that, will be termed as addiction.