Alcohol ⋆ Meno Martha International Menopause Directory

“If you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start because of potential health benefits. However, if you drink a light to moderate amount and you’re healthy, you can probably…”.¹

Umbrella
What may the Alcohol Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

Alcohol
Booze
Drug
Grog
Liquor

Definition

What is alcohol?

DotS the definition of alcohol may vary. The (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) definition is:

“Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is an intoxicating ingredient found in beer, wine, and liquor. Alcohol is produced by the fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches”.²

Good or Not

Is alcohol good for you?

In Nutrition and Healthy Eating: In-Depth – Alcohol: Weighing Risks and Potential Benefit – Deciding About Drinking the (United States) Mayo Clinic explain:

“If you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start because of potential health benefits. However, if you drink a light to moderate amount and you’re healthy, you can probably continue as long as you drink responsibly. Be sure to check with your doctor about what’s right for your health and safety”.³

Women and Alcohol

If women choose to drink alcohol, what does moderate drinking mean?

DotS and/or DotC (Depending on the Country) this may vary. For the United States in Alcohol and Public Health: Frequently Asked Questions – Drinking Patterns: What Does Moderate Drinking Mean? the CDC explain:

“According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults of legal drinking age can choose not to drink, or to drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less in a day for women, when alcohol is consumed”.⁴

For the United Kingdom in UK Alcohol Unit Guidance: CMOs’ Low Risk Drinking Guidelines – Low Risk Drinking Guidelines Drinkaware.co.uk elaborate on:

“The Chief Medical Officers’ (CMO) guideline for both men and women states that:

To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis
If you regularly drink as much as 14 units per week, it’s best to spread your drinking evenly over three or more days. If you have one or two heavy drinking episodes a week, you increase your risk of long-term illness and injury”.⁵

The (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) note:

“The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guideline for reducing health risks associated with drinking alcohol defines ‘low risk’ alcohol consumption for healthy women as no more than two standard drinks on any day with regular alcohol free days”.⁶

Standard Drink

What is a standard drink?

DotS and/or DotC the definition of a standard drink may vary. In the United States according to the (United States) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:

“In the United States, one “standard” drink (or one alcoholic drink equivalent) contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is found in:

12 ounces of regular beer, which is usually about 5% alcohol
5 ounces of wine, which is typically about 12% alcohol
1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, which is about 40% alcohol”.⁷

Unit of Alcohol

What is a unit of alcohol?

DotS and/or DotC this may vary. In What Is An Alcohol Unit? What Is An Alcohol Unit? the UK according to Drinkaware.co.uk:

“One unit is 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol. Because alcoholic drinks come in different strengths and sizes, units are a way to tell how strong your drink is”.⁸

High Risk Drinking

What is high risk drinking?

DotS the definition of high risk drinking may vary. In Alcohol: Alcohol & Your Health – High Risk Drinking the JH’s definition is:

“High risk alcohol consumption is best defined as anything that exceeds the consumption of more than two standard drinks per day. High risk drinking, including binge drinking (consumption of excess alcohol over a short space of time) can put your health at serious risk.

Having more than four standard drinks on a single occasion (even if you only do it once or twice per week) may cause health problems, increase risk of injury and accidents and affect relationships with those close to you”.⁹

Health Care Provider

What if I would like help to drink less or stop drinking?

If you would like help to drink less or stop drinking, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. The JH note:

“If alcohol is affecting your health and you are having trouble stopping drinking, talk to your doctor and seek expert help”.¹⁰

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Alcohol?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Alcohol?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

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Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

Nutrition and Healthy Eating: In-Depth – Alcohol: Weighing Risks and Potential Benefit – Deciding About Drinking. 26 October 2019. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551 Accessed: 11 June 2021
Alcohol and Public Health: Frequently Asked Questions – About Alcohol: What Is Alcohol? Page Last Reviewed: 16 February 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm#top Accessed: 11 June 2021
Nutrition and Healthy Eating: In-Depth – Alcohol: Weighing Risks and Potential Benefit – Deciding About Drinking. 26 October 2019. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551 Accessed: 11 June 2021
Alcohol and Public Health: Frequently Asked Questions – Drinking Patterns: What Does Moderate Drinking Mean? Page Last Reviewed: 16 February 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm#top Accessed: 11 June 2021
UK Alcohol Unit Guidance: CMOs’ Low Risk Drinking Guidelines – Low Risk Drinking Guidelines. Drinkaware.co.uk https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/alcoholic-drinks-units/latest-uk-alcohol-unit-guidance/ Accessed: 11 June 2021
Alcohol: Alcohol & Your Health: Low Risk Drinking. Last Updated: 15 January 2020 | Last Reviewed: 17 February 2014. Jean Hailes https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/healthy-living/alcohol Accessed: 11 June 2021
What Is A Standard Drink? National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/what-standard-drink Accessed: 11 June 2021
What Is An Alcohol Unit? What Is An Alcohol Unit? Last Reviewed: 23 April 2020. Drinkaware.co.uk https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/alcoholic-drinks-units/what-is-an-alcohol-unit/ Accessed: 11 June 2021
Alcohol: Alcohol & Your Health: High Risk Drinking. Last Updated: 15 January 2020 | Last Reviewed: 17 February 2014. Jean Hailes https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/healthy-living/alcohol Accessed: 11 June 2021
Alcohol: Alcohol & Menopause. Last Updated: 15 January 2020 | Last Reviewed: 17 February 2014. Jean Hailes https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/healthy-living/alcohol Accessed: 11 June 2021

Alcohol

Alcohol

“If you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start because of potential health benefits. However, if you drink a light to moderate amount and you’re healthy, you can probably…”.¹

Definition

Good or Not

Women and Alcohol

Standard Drink

Unit of Alcohol

High Risk Drinking

Health Care Provider