How much do you drink? Your guide to the new alcohol guidelines

United Kingdom medical officers have released new alcohol guidelines that are far more strict on the nation’s recommended weekly intake than ever before, insisting that there is no safe level of drinking.

“Drinking any level of alcohol regularly” can up risk of cancer and other diseases, Britons are told.

“In preparing the previous guidelines in 1995, the harmful effects of alcohol and cancer were underestimated, and the beneficial effect of alcohol (if any) was exaggerated”, said Prof Frank Murray, President RCPI and Chair of Alcohol Health Alliance Ireland.

But the government is warning against “saving up” these 14 units for one or two days in the week, instead advising to spread them over three or more days with alcohol-free days in between. Yesterday, the U-S issued new guidelines saying a drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men is OK. When drinking on a single occasion, the officers say people should limit the amount of alcohol they drink on any occasion.

It likewise advised pregnant women not to drink at all as a precautionary measure and veers away from the long-held belief that small amounts of alcohol are good.

The committee has been collecting and analyzing studies on cancer and alcohol consumption since 2013, which they report show some cancers are more common among people who drink more. That is equal to 12 units a week for women and just over 24 for men.

Those guidelines suggest consuming no more than a drink a day.

While small amounts of alcohol consumed before becoming aware of the pregnancy present a low risk to the baby, Dame Sally insists that there is no “safe” level of alcohol for pregnant women to drink.

Nevertheless, it says drinking 14 unit or less per week keeps “the risk of mortality from cancers or other diseases” – such as liver disease – low.

As well as the risk of accident and injury, drinking alcohol regularly is linked to long-term risks such as heart disease, cancer, liver disease, and epilepsy.

How many units are in our favourite alcoholic drinks?

The guidelines concluded that there is no justification for drinking alcohol for health benefits.

Drinking alcohol can increase women’s risk of mouth, throat and breast cancer.

Avoiding risky places and activities, making sure you have people you know around, and ensuring you can get home safely.

Professor Petticrew said: “This new guidance has been based on a wide range of new evidence from this country and overseas”.

“This is not a crackdown on alcohol”, said Dr. Niamh Fitzgerald, a lecturer in alcohol studies at the University of Stirling, who was not involved in drafting the government guidelines.