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Alcohol is the most widely used social drug in Australia. Moderate use may, for some, be beneficial to the heart, but heavy alcohol use or binge drinking can cause a number of serious health problems. Binge drinking is particularly a problem among younger people. Drinking during pregnancy may affect your baby. Contrary to popular belief, alcohol does contribute energy or kilojoules (kJ) to the diet. Every gram (g) of alcohol contains 29kJ of energy. A standard drink contains 10g of alcohol. One glass of beer, wine, spirits or mixed drinks equals approximately one standard drink. Alcoholic cider and cans of premixed spirits equal at least one-and-a-half standard drinks. Safe alcohol intake The following guidelines can help you determine if your alcohol intake is safe or harmful. Men - up to four standard drinks a day puts you at low risk for health problems. Five to six standard drinks puts you at considerable risk, while seven or more standard drinks a day is considered high risk for developing health problems. Women - up to two standard drinks a day puts you at low risk for health problems. Three to four standard drinks puts you at considerable risk, while five or more standard drinks a day is considered high risk for developing health problems. Men and women should have one or two alcohol free days a week. Binge drinking - binge drinking is drinking heavily over a short period of time or drinking continuously over a period of days and weeks. Effects of alcohol on your health Alcohol can affect a number of body systems, including: - Cardiovascular system - raised blood pressure and triglycerides (especially after binge drinking), damage to the heart muscle and stroke.
- Nervous system - brain damage, tremors, dementia and nerve damage. Alcohol immediately affects your coordination, self-control, judgement and reaction times.
- Gastrointestinal system - stomach inflammation (gastritis) and bleeding.
- Liver - cancer, hepatitis (inflammation), fatty changes, cirrhosis and liver failure.
- Endocrine system - problems controlling blood sugar, loss of libido and reduced fertility.
- Nutrition - malnutrition (alcohol displaces nutrients from your body) and obesity. Women who drink alcohol are at a higher risk of breast cancer and other gynaecological problems.
Drinking alcohol could affect your unborn baby It is well known that women who drink while pregnant are more likely to give birth to babies who are: - Smaller
- Premature
- Born with abnormalities, including foetal alcohol syndrome.
It may be that even low risk drinking (up to two standard drinks per day) is harmful to your unborn baby. It is, therefore, advisable that pregnant women abstain from alcohol. Staying within legal alcohol limits while driving It is advisable to avoid drinking alcohol if you need to drive. If you do drink, the following is a general guide for staying under 0.05 BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration): - Men - no more than two standard drinks in the first hour. After that, one standard drink per hour for a maximum of three hours.
- Women - no more than one standard drink in the first hour. After that, one standard drink per hour for a maximum of three hours.
Alcohol affects people differently People are affected by alcohol differently and, therefore, some people may have a BAC of 0.05 or over despite following the above guidelines. If in doubt, don't drink at all if you are going to drive. Learner and probationary drivers, and drivers of trucks, buses, trams and trains must maintain a zero blood alcohol limit. How to drink responsibly You can monitor your drinking if you: - Start with a non-alcoholic drink.
- Eat before and while drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream.
- Avoid salty snacks that make you thirsty and make you drink more.
- Make every second or third drink non-alcoholic.
- Try low alcohol drinks.
Things to remember Moderate alcohol intake can be beneficial for your heart.
Heavy and binge drinking can cause serious health effects.
Drinking while pregnant may affect your baby.
It is illegal to drive if your blood alcohol level is above 0.05 (zero in some cases).
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