This is a listing of published limits for alcohol consumption. Adults who choose
to drink should keep in mind that there are situations when abstinence is best: when
taking medications that interact with alcohol; when pregnant or trying to conceive; when
there are any physical or mental conditions present which would be made worse by drinking,
even in moderation; if dependent on alcohol; if drinking could cause harm to yourself or
others, for example when driving; or if you are underage.
1. Source: Moderate Drinking
Standard Drink Unit:
one 12 oz-beer (5% alcohol)
one 5-oz glass wine (12% alcohol)
one and 1/2 oz of 80-proof liquor (40% alcohol)
2. Source: The Physicians' Guide to Helping Patients With Alcohol Problems, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of
Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH Publication Number
95-3769, printed 1995
A patient may be at risk for alcohol-related problems if alcohol consumption is:
Men: greater than 14 drinks per week, or greater than 4 drinks per occasion
Women: greater than 7 drinks per week, or greater than 3 drinks per occasion
Recommendations to Patients for Low-Risk Drinking:
Men: no more than two drinks per day
Women: no more than one drink per day
Over 65: no more than one drink per day
3. Source: Nutrition and Your Health: Guidelines for Americans, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Fourth Edition, 1995
If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation. Moderation is defined as:
For men: no more than two drinks per day
For women: no more than one drink per day
4. Source: Saying When: How to Quit Drinking or Cut Down, by Dr. Martha Sanchez-Craig,
Addiction Research Foundation, Toronto, Canada, Second Edition, Revised, 1994
No daily drinking
men: no more than four drinks on any day, a maximum of 12 drinks in any week
women: no more than three drinks on any day, a maximum of 9 drinks in any week
