BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuResponsible drinkingAlcohol use disorder - responsible drinking; Drinking alcohol responsibly; Drinking in moderation; Alcoholism - responsible drinkingIf you drink alcohol, health care providers advise limiting how much you drink. This is called drinking in moderation, or responsible drinking.Definition of Responsible DrinkingResponsible drinking means more than just limiting yourself to a certain number of drinks. It also means not getting drunk and not letting alcohol control your life or your relationships.Tips of Drinking ResponsiblyThe tips in this article are for people who:Do not have a drinking problem, now or in the past Are old enough to drink legally Are not pregnantHealthy men of legal drinking age should limit themselves to:No more than 2 drinks a day No more than 14 drinks a weekHealthy women of legal drinking age should limit themselves to:No more than 1 drink a day No more than 7 drinks a weekOther habits that will help you be a responsible drinker include:Never drinking alcohol and driving. Having a designated driver if you are going to drink. This means riding with someone in your group who has not been drinking, or taking a taxi or bus. Not drinking on an empty stomach. Have a snack or meal before you drink and while you are drinking.If you take any medicines, including ones you bought without a prescription, check with your provider before you drink. Alcohol can affect the way your body uses some medicines. A medicine may not work correctly, or it could be dangerous or make you sick if combined with alcohol.If excessive alcohol use or problem drinking runs in your family, you may be at a higher risk of having an alcohol problem yourself. Not drinking at all might be best for you.Can Responsible Drinking Improve Your Health?Many people drink now and then. You may have heard about some health benefits from moderate drinking. None of these benefits have been definitively proven. None of them should be used as a reason for drinking.Some of the possible benefits of moderate drinking that have been studied are:Reduced risk of heart disease or a heart attack Heart disease or a heart attackStudies have shown that adults who drink light to moderate amounts of alcohol may be less likely to develop heart disease than those who do not drink...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Reduced risk of strokes StrokesA stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack. " If blood flow is cut off for longer th...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Lower risk of gallstones Lower risk of diabetesDiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article When to Call the DoctorContact your provider if:You are concerned about your own drinking or a family member's drinking. You would like more information about alcohol use or support groups for problem drinking. You are unable to drink less or stop drinking, even though you have tried. Open ReferencesReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention website. Alcohol use and your health. www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm. Updated May15, 2024. Accessed June 19, 2024.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website. Alcohol's effects on the body. www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body. Accessed February 15, 2024.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website. Understanding alcohol use disorder. www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder. Updated January 2024. Accessed February 15, 2024.O'Connor PG. Alcohol use disorders. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 364.US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening and behavioral counseling interventions to reduce unhealthy alcohol use in adolescents and adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2018;320(18):1899-1909. PMID: 30422199 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30422199/.AllVideoImagesTogSelf Care Responsible drinkingHealth risks of alcohol use Related Information Review Date: 2/8/2024 Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. 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Responsible drinkingAlcohol use disorder - responsible drinking; Drinking alcohol responsibly; Drinking in moderation; Alcoholism - responsible drinkingIf you drink alcohol, health care providers advise limiting how much you drink. This is called drinking in moderation, or responsible drinking.Definition of Responsible DrinkingResponsible drinking means more than just limiting yourself to a certain number of drinks. It also means not getting drunk and not letting alcohol control your life or your relationships.Tips of Drinking ResponsiblyThe tips in this article are for people who:Do not have a drinking problem, now or in the past Are old enough to drink legally Are not pregnantHealthy men of legal drinking age should limit themselves to:No more than 2 drinks a day No more than 14 drinks a weekHealthy women of legal drinking age should limit themselves to:No more than 1 drink a day No more than 7 drinks a weekOther habits that will help you be a responsible drinker include:Never drinking alcohol and driving. Having a designated driver if you are going to drink. This means riding with someone in your group who has not been drinking, or taking a taxi or bus. Not drinking on an empty stomach. Have a snack or meal before you drink and while you are drinking.If you take any medicines, including ones you bought without a prescription, check with your provider before you drink. Alcohol can affect the way your body uses some medicines. A medicine may not work correctly, or it could be dangerous or make you sick if combined with alcohol.If excessive alcohol use or problem drinking runs in your family, you may be at a higher risk of having an alcohol problem yourself. Not drinking at all might be best for you.Can Responsible Drinking Improve Your Health?Many people drink now and then. You may have heard about some health benefits from moderate drinking. None of these benefits have been definitively proven. None of them should be used as a reason for drinking.Some of the possible benefits of moderate drinking that have been studied are:Reduced risk of heart disease or a heart attack Heart disease or a heart attackStudies have shown that adults who drink light to moderate amounts of alcohol may be less likely to develop heart disease than those who do not drink...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Reduced risk of strokes StrokesA stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack. " If blood flow is cut off for longer th...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Lower risk of gallstones Lower risk of diabetesDiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article When to Call the DoctorContact your provider if:You are concerned about your own drinking or a family member's drinking. You would like more information about alcohol use or support groups for problem drinking. You are unable to drink less or stop drinking, even though you have tried. Open ReferencesReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention website. Alcohol use and your health. www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm. Updated May15, 2024. Accessed June 19, 2024.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website. Alcohol's effects on the body. www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body. Accessed February 15, 2024.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website. Understanding alcohol use disorder. www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder. Updated January 2024. Accessed February 15, 2024.O'Connor PG. Alcohol use disorders. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 364.US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening and behavioral counseling interventions to reduce unhealthy alcohol use in adolescents and adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2018;320(18):1899-1909. PMID: 30422199 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30422199/.