How much alcohol is too much?

What is"moderate" or "safe" use of alcohol?
From a harm reduction perspective, each person must define for herself what constitutes an acceptable amount and frequency of alcohol consumption. However, it can be a helpful to start with a discussion of how health experts define the parameters of moderate use.

Formal definitions of moderate alcohol use
Health researchers have proposed specific definitions and guidelines for "moderate" alcohol use, based on their findings. Statistics suggest that the risk of developing alcohol dependence increases when a person exceeds certain daily and/or weekly amounts, which differ by sex. At highest risk for developing alcohol dependence are those who exceed both the daily and weekly limits. 

Most researchers define "moderate drinking" with the following parameters:

• For women, no more than 1-2 drinks in a day, and no more than 7 drinks in a week
• For men, no more than 2-3 drinks in a day, and no more than 14 drinks in a week

                *Note: 1 drink is defined as 12 oz regular beer; 5 oz wine, and 1.5 oz liquor. It's easy to underestimate how many drinks one is
                 actually consuming if ounces are not taken into consideration, especially in restaurants/ bars and when "topping off" wine

Cancer Risk
Increasingly, physicians and researchers are underscoring the scientifically established relationship between a person's level of alcohol use, and increased risk for certain cancers over time. Research shows that even when alcohol consumers adhere to the above moderate drinking guidelines, they put themselves at increased risk of developing certain cancers as compared to non-drinkers.

At this time, there is no known "safe" level of alcohol consumption where the additional cancer risk disappears. But research shows that the lower the level of consumption, the lower the additional risk for alcohol-related cancers. 

For more information, see the U.S. Surgeon General's 2025 report here.