Alcohol Safe Limits: How Much Should I Be Drinking?

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Understanding the alcohol safe limits for drinking is important, so that you can use alcohol responsibly and not put your health at risk. This is not always easy, as the information about the ‘safe’ amount to drink can be difficult to find. 

This article will support you in understanding the limits of what you can drink each week. For more information, contact a member of our team at CATCH Recovery for a confidential consultation.

This Page Covers:

  • How to assess the alcohol content of drinks using standardised units
  • The safe amounts to drink, how to spread your alcohol use over the course of a week, and why having a limit is important
  • The risks with drinking alcohol over the recommended limits
  • Situations where you should avoid drinking alcohol

Understanding Alcohol Limits

What are Alcohol Units?

Alcoholic drinks come in a variety of different strengths. To ensure standardisation we use a measurement called ‘alcohol by volume’ (ABV) to assess the strength of the alcohol. For example, a bottle of wine with 12% ABV will contain 12% pure alcohol. 

Alcohol units are a standardised way of measuring alcohol. Units are calculated by multiplying the ABV by the drink volume in millilitres (mls), then dividing this by a thousand[1]. For example, a 750ml bottle of 12% wine would contain 9 units of alcohol (750mls x 12 = 9000/1000 = 9 Units).

A helpful unit calculator is available here. 

Units Found in Common Alcoholic Drinks

Alcohol content varies between the types of alcoholic beverages. Common drinks and measurements are included here with their alcohol content in units for reference. 

Beer

  • Pint (568mls) of average strength beer (4%) – 2.2 units
  • Half pint of 4% beer – 1.1 units
  • Half pint of strong beer e.g. heavy Belgian beer (9%) – 2.6 units

Wine 

Using 12% ABV wine as an example:

  • Small glass (125mls) – 1.5 units
  • Large glass (250mls) – 3 units
  • Bottle (750mls) – 9 units

Spirits and other forms of alcoholic drinks

One shot glass (25mls) in England and Wales is equivalent to one unit of alcohol of a 40% spirit. Measurements in Scotland and Northern Ireland are larger (35mls), where a shot glass equivalent is 1.4 units.

Alcohol can be present in other drinks where the alcoholic taste is not as obvious. For example, a standard 350ml alcopop bottle (4% ABV) would contain 1.4 units. 

National Guidance for Safe Alcohol Consumption

The UK government has recommendations for weekly alcohol use, based on the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines. It advises both men and women to drink no more than 14 units a week, and to spread their drinking over at least three days through the week 2. Ideally, you should try to limit your alcohol intake to 3 units per day. 

You should also have a couple of alcohol-free days each week. This allows your body to fully process the alcohol in your system, and minimise the risk of long-term damage to your health.

Risk Categories for Alcohol Consumption

The Government divides drinking habits into three categories.2 

  • Low-risk drinking – not regularly exceeding 14 units/week
  • Increasing risk drinking – drinking more than 14 units a week, but not exceeding 35 units/week for women or 50 units/week for men
  • High-risk drinking – drinking more than 35 units/week for women, or more than 50 units/week for men

If your drinking habits fall into the increasing risk or high-risk categories, you are more likely to develop alcohol-related health problems.

Binge drinking

Many people use the phrase ‘binge drinking’ to describe episodes of heavy drinking. The official definition of ‘binge drinking’ is drinking twice the recommended daily limits in one day. For men this would be more than 8 units, and for women this would be 6 units. Binge drinking is associated with greater health risks.2 

Drinking too much can result in health problems, which become more serious the higher your average weekly intake becomes. 

Short-term risks include injuries from intoxication, and loss of inhibition, which can lead to engagement in high-risk activities which pose a risk to the drinker and those around them, such as driving under the influence, aggressive behaviour, unprotected sex and substance abuse.

Heavy alcohol consumption on a regular basis can increase the risk of health problems, including:

  • Weight gain
  • Long-term alcohol problems
  • Tolerance
  • Dependence
  • Withdrawal
  • High blood pressure
  • Liver disease
  • Cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke
  • Increased cancer risk – notably for liver, bowel and breast cancer

Many pre-existing medical conditions can be made worse by continued drinking over the safe limits.

Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms occur when someone who has been drinking high amounts of alcohol for a long time, suddenly stops. You are more likely to go through withdrawal if you have built up a tolerance or dependence on alcohol. The symptoms include:8

  • Mood disturbances, or mood swings
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Heart flutters 
  • Shakes or seizures

The symptoms can be serious – if you are concerned that you may be going through this withdrawal, you should seek urgent medical assistance. 

If you are concerned about this, you can learn about our alcohol detox services here. 

When You Should Avoid Drinking Alcohol 

Alcohol Limits During Pregnancy

You should avoid consuming alcohol if you are pregnant, trying to conceive or if you are breastfeeding. Alcohol crosses the placenta into the blood of the unborn baby, and gets into breastmilk. This can lead to health problems with the baby, including stunted growth, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, preterm birth and – in some cases – stillbirth.3,4

Driving and Operating Heavy Machinery  

Alcohol levels in the body can be checked with blood and urine tests, but the most common roadside method used is a breathalyser test. This involves blowing into a device that can detect alcohol levels. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the legal driving limit is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. In Scotland, the limit is 22 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.5 Your body alcohol levels may still be above the legal limits if you consumed a lot of alcohol the previous day. 

In the UK, it is technically legal to drink and drive providing that your alcohol levels are below a certain threshold. Despite this, it is advisable to avoid driving if you have recently consumed any alcohol. Driving over the limit is illegal, and is associated with strict penalties. 

You should not be operating heavy machinery under the influence of alcohol, as can result in injury to yourself and others.6

Alcohol Limits When Taking Prescription Medications 

Some medications interact with alcohol, causing them to become more or less effective depending on the nature of the interaction. Examples include:

Many other medications will interact with alcohol. Always check the information leaflet included with the medication. 

If you are regularly exceeding the recommended weekly amounts of alcohol, or you are building a tolerance to alcohol, the risk of ill health increases. 

Steps to reduce alcohol intake

If you drink a large amount of alcohol regularly it is important not to stop drinking suddenly, as this may cause withdrawal symptoms which can be dangerous. If your weekly drinking is less than 30 units, you can try to cut down by making some gradual changes, such as: 

  • Staying hydrated
  • Ordering water instead of alcohol for every other round of drinks
  • Ordering smaller drink sizes
  • Set a weekly alcohol budget and try not to exceed this.

Small changes are easier to stick to, and are more likely to have a lasting effect. But if you find that you are struggling with cutting down then it is likely you would benefit from professional help. 

Further Management Options

If you would like more structured support to begin an alcohol-free life, CATCH Recovery offers confidential online therapy, providing flexible support tailored to your needs. 

If your weekly alcohol use is over 30 units, you have significant underlying health problems or you are trying to wean off other substances, then having treatment in a residential setting is recommended.7 You can book a free screening with us here.

Begin Your Journey of Recovery Today

Contact CATCH Recovery to find out how we can help support you.
Contact Us Book an Assessment

Understanding the safe drinking limits can help you to assess the right action to take for your alcohol use. You can learn more about alcohol addiction, understanding the signs of functional alcoholism, supporting supporting someone with alcohol addiction and alcohol rehabilitation by clicking these links.

If you would like to speak to one of our advisors about a free initial assessment, click here. More information about the CATCH 28-day community recovery programme is available here. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How much alcohol per day is safe?

    A limit of 3 units per day would be recommended. See ‘Understanding Alcohol Limits’ for some examples [2].

  • How much alcohol can you drink and drive?

    Driving over the limit is illegal, and is associated with strict penalties. It is safer for you and others to avoid driving if you have recently consumed alcohol. More information can be found on the UK Government’s website.

  • Is 40 units of alcohol a week too much?

    Regularly drinking this amount each week may negatively impact your health, and reducing this would be beneficial. Don’t stop suddenly, but try making small changes to gradually reduce your use. Many individuals in this situation would benefit from an inpatient recovery programme, at least for the initial stages of recovery.

  • Can you drink alcohol and be healthy?

    Moderate drinking can be safe, although the healthiest and best option would be to have a minimal amount of alcohol in your daily life.

  • Why Does Alcohol Affect Me Differently to Others?

    Everybody is unique, and there are many reasons why alcohol may have more or less of an effect on you than those around you. This could be due to your weight, age, gender, metabolism or stress levels. [5].

    Although you may not be aware of the effects, alcohol above safe limits can still cause damage to your health. It is also worth considering if requiring more alcohol to get the same effect as others is a sign of tolerance; in this case, you may benefit from reducing your alcohol intake.

  • Are there Safe Alcohol Limits for Children?

    The brain continues to develop and mature throughout childhood and even into early adulthood, which makes it susceptible to changes from alcohol. Legally, in the UK, children over the age of 4 are allowed to drink at home at any age, but it is not recommended by health professionals. Drinking alcohol at a young age can lead to [9]:

    • Memory problems
    • Problems with impulse control
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Antisocial behaviour
    • Mental health problems.

    If a child does drink, this should not exceed the daily and weekly limits [10].

    If you are concerned about a child struggling with alcohol related issues, or are experiencing any of these symptoms yourself, contact us today.