What is moderate drinking? It depends on whom you ask. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s definition permits men to drink up to four standard drinks on a day and no more than 14 dinks per week. For women, it is up to trree drinks and sin a day and no more than seven drinks per week. That is considered moderate drinking.

Each standard drink in the U.S. contains the same amount of pure alcohol. It’s six-tenths of an ounce. Learn more about Standard Drinks and why they are so important.
Moderate drinkers tend to have better health and live longer. That’s compared to either those who don’t drink or heavy drinkers. In fact, the risk of dying in any given year is about 25% lower for moderate drinkers.
Moderate drinkers of beer, wine, or spirits (liquor) are less likely to suffer these conditions.
- Heart disease (and More Likely to Survive It)
- Vascular disease
- Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
- Kidney Cancer
- Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss
- Enlarged prostate (BPH)
- Prostate cancer
- Stroke
- Pancreatic cancer
- Diabetes
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoporosis and bone fractures
- Thyroid cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Food poisoning
- Parkinson’s disease
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Gallstones and gallbladder disease
- Liver disease
- Lower urinary tract symptoms
- Frailty
- Metabolic syndrome
What is Moderate Drinking?
Resources
Web
Books
- Am Heart Assn. Complete Guide to Heart Health.
- Ascheim, R., et al. Heart Health. Your Questions Answered.
- Chambers, R. Boost Your Heart Health.
- Crocker, B. Betty Crocker Healthy Heart Cookbook.
- Gillinov, M. and Nissen, S. Guide to Heart Health.
Note
- This web site does not give advice. Please see a doctor for answers.