Few people know that ethyl alcohol acts on the human body as a poisonous substance. However, this scientifically proven fact does not increase the number of teeth. Someone drinks on the big holidays, and those for whom Friday night is already a reason to throw up booze and don’t want to hear about the dangers of alcohol. Advocating for a healthy lifestyle, doctors have realized how often you can drink alcohol to avoid tangible negative effects on the body.
The article shows average values. Gender, age, weight, the presence of disease can change them in one direction or another.
Classification of drinkers in domestic narcology
Depending on the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption, experts divide people into five groups.
The word abstinence refers to abstinence from anything, including alcohol. Doctors call abstainers who do not drink at all or drink a glass of champagne several times a year. People who do not drink often have three reasons for sobriety:
- biological - allergy to alcohol, when even a small dose leads to serious poisoning; also, ethyl alcohol can cause unusual intoxication, when instead of increasing mood, depression and depression occur;
- medically - when you cannot drink due to the presence of disease;
- behavior - the person deliberately chose not to drink a single gram of alcohol.
Some abstainers can sometimes drink a little, so as not to look like an outcast in the company of a drink. But the dose of the drink is very small, so they never get drunk. More often than not, tooth smokers find some reason not to pour at all.
In this category, doctors classify people who consume a maximum of 250 ml of vodka several times a year, but not more often than once a month. Basically, they start drinking in adulthood, observing the rituals, but they do not have much pleasure from drinking, but on the contrary, the next morning after the feast they feel the symptoms of a hangover. Therefore, by the age of forty, they often fall into the category of abstainers and cannot even tolerate the smell of fumes.
This is the most controversial group, as there is no single opinion on moderate and high doses of alcoholic beverages in the medical setting. Russian narcologists classify a person who drinks alcohol in moderation, who drinks an average of 100-150 ml of vodka (maximum 400 ml) from 1 to 4 times a month. These people are organizers of parties and socializing with friends, because drinking alcohol for them means improving their mood.
Such people can take 200-300 ml of vodka once or twice a week (maximum 500 ml). Their alcohol experience usually begins even before the onset of adulthood, and after a few years alcohol occupies an important place in the system of life values. Gradually, a psychological dependence on ethyl alcohol is created, which indicates the first phase of alcoholism.
According to doctors, this group includes a person who drinks a few liters or more of vodka several times a week. It is difficult for him to suppress the desire to drink, alcohol becomes a priority in life. To achieve a state of intoxication, you have to drink more and more. Constant intake of such doses leads to sleep disorders, various diseases of internal organs and personality degradation. No matter how much doctors wouldn’t want to spoil the statistics, but things have to be called by their own names, this is alcoholism in the second stage of addiction.
If you identify yourself in the last two items of the list, it is not too late to stop and stop the progression of the disease. You can start your journey to a sober lifestyle by taking medications that are freely available on the Internet. They reduce the craving for alcohol and at the same time help the body get rid of alcohol toxins.
World Alcohol Standards
The World Health Organization has defined a standard serving of alcohol called a drink or unit. It is equal to the amount of beverage containing 10 g of pure alcohol. For example, one drink will be a bottle (330 ml) of beer, 150 ml of dry wine or 45 ml of vodka or brandy.
You can find out the amount of ethanol in other drinks based on the data on the label: displacement and strength in volume percentages.
Based on this standard, the WHO has developed a recommended and, minimizing the risk of complications in the form of somatic diseases and alcoholism:
- men are recommended to drink no more than 40 g of ethanol per day, which is equal to 100 g of vodka;
- daily dose for women should not exceed 30 g of alcohol, or not more than 80 g of vodka or a glass of wine.
When asked how often alcohol can be drunk, doctors answer that it should not be done every day, even if the dose is only one drink. In contrast, breaks between drinking alcohol are required, not less than two days.
Safe drinking is a relative term
Guided by the recommendations of reputable experts, a number of individual factors must be taken into account, based on which even standard serving once a week can lead to negative consequences for drinks.
- You should not drink under any pretext those who are allergic to ethanol or components of alcoholic beverages (colors, aromas), as well as people with chronic diseases of the stomach, liver and other internal organs.
- It is not advisable for people with a genetic predisposition to alcoholism (one of the parents drank) to start getting to know strong drinks at all.
- There is no concept of "safe drinking" for people under the age of majority. Even a hundred grams of vodka taken once can cause enormous damage to a still unformed body of a teenager.
- Doctors do not recommend drinking for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as it is harmful to the baby.
WHO doctors have come to the conclusion that the average person can drink 8 liters of alcohol without harm to health in a year. In Russia, statistics show that as much as 18 liters of alcohol come for drinks, that is, the norm has more than doubled.
Unraveling the myths about the safety of low-alcohol beverages should contribute to raising the culture of drinking. Often, beer and cocktails start with alcoholism in women and adolescents who are convinced that there is no harm in drinking poorly.
Why is beer so popular?
Many people like beer to contain less alcohol than vodka.
“I drink beer, it's a low-alcohol beverage. So I have no addiction. "
A man who drinks beer does not seem to be afraid of beer alcoholism.
The person adds: “Finally, there are people who drink vodka - they are alcoholics, not me. I have no problem. "
However, these beliefs do not justify one’s beer alcoholism.
How often can you drink alcohol
New Year without clicking champagne glasses. Wedding or birthday without toasts. Meeting with friends without 100 grams of vodka or a bottle of beer. Family celebrations only with tea. "Presentations" that do not include a bottle of expensive wine or cognac of significant aging. No, this is not the world after the Apocalypse, this is just an existence where no one will drink alcohol. It is hard to imagine that at least some of the events to which modern people are accustomed can take place without alcohol. However, no one will say that you can't drink at all - it's enough to use strong drinks smartly and not too often (the norm is definitely not every day). You can drink a small amount of beer, vodka or wine without harm to health and with pleasure.
As much as possible
WHO standards define a standard dose of alcohol ("drink" or "unit") as a serving of alcohol containing 10 grams of pure (96%) ethanol. There are special tables that allow you to calculate the amount of ethanol in a particular beverage based on the data provided by the manufacturer (each bottle contains data on the number of milliliters (grams) of alcohol and its strength in volume percentages). To simplify these calculations, we can say that on average the norm is equivalent to one dose of drink:
Complaints of beer opponents
With regular and unrestrained use, beer causes great damage to the heart: it becomes flabby, increases, the cavities of the heart expand, the rhythm is disturbed. Beer contains female hormones, so men who drink beer become feminine with age, both in appearance and character.
Since getting used to beer is a fairly quick process, opponents of this drink warn, sooner or later you will stop thinking of yourself in the company of friends without a bottle of beer; going to nature without alcohol will become meaningless to you; gradually, there will be no entertainment in life without alcohol.
Sounds scary. But after re-reading the arguments of the supporters, everything does not look so gloomy again. So who is right? Is it okay to drink beer or should you not?
The truth is probably in the middle. If you look closely at the arguments of beer advocates, you will notice that they mostly refer to a small but regular consumption of beer - no more than a bottle a day. If you start drinking this drink in liters, there can be no talk of any benefit, but small doses 1-2 times a week (actually not every day) can really bring more benefits than harm. And drink only quality beer, preferably freshly brewed and unfiltered - then the benefits will be obvious.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages without harm to health
According to statistics, in 2020, Russia ranked 6th among the ten best countries in the world that drink. The average Russian consumes 15, 1 liter of alcohol per year, and a woman 7, 8 liters. Vodka is the most desirable in our country, but recently the use of wine has been growing. How often can you drink, what and in what quantities, so as not to harm your health? What are the standards and rules for drinking alcohol? Read this article.
It's no secret that ethanol found in alcoholic beverages has a detrimental effect on the human body, like poison. And despite the fact that this fact has long been scientifically proven, there is no increase in the number of people leading a sober lifestyle in the world. Most don’t even want to hear about the dangers of alcoholism, considering every weekend a reason to drink. But, despite that, doctors tirelessly continue to fight for a healthy lifestyle, setting ethanol standards for people who will not be able to negatively affect their health and well-being.
Classification of drinkers in domestic narcology
Experts divided people into five groups, depending on the amount and frequency of alcohol consumed.
- Abstainers are people who are indifferent or negative about alcohol. The state of intoxication does not bring them pleasure, does not cause physical discomfort or is unacceptable for moral reasons. Abstainers can be absolute, who categorically do not use alcohol, and relatives, who can afford to drink a maximum of 100 ml of low-alcohol drinks 2-3 times a year. Abstainers from the absolute group are also divided into three types. The first - biological - is allergic to alcohol or discomfort after ingestion. Other - medical - strong drinks are prohibited due to the presence of any disease. Third - behaviorally - a person intentionally refuses alcohol, simply because he has decided so.
Pay attention! Sometimes abstainers can afford a small dose of alcohol, but this is rare. They never get drunk and often find some reason not to drink.
- People who drink by chance are people who have no desire to drink, but can afford to drink up to 250 ml of strong drink at most once a month. The state of intoxication is weak and does not give them satisfaction. Even after drinking so little, these people have hangover symptoms the next morning. Therefore, at a more mature age, they often already begin to belong to the abstinence group.
- Moderate drinks are people who drink up to 400 ml of strong drinks 1 to 4 times a month. Alcoholic beverages of this category enjoy a state of intoxication and often initiate libations in the company. In the medical sphere, there is no unequivocal opinion about high and moderate doses of alcohol, so this group is considered the most controversial: taking alcoholic beverages for such people is considered a way to lift the mood.
- Systemic drinkers - people who consume up to 500 ml of alcohol with a frequency of up to twice a week. They use drunkenness as a way to relax, have fun and find a common language with the environment. This category is characterized by alcohol abuse, resulting in a weakening of self-control and behavioral disorders. Such people often go through a state of hangover after parties, and often start drinking from a minor, as a result of which over time they develop a psychological dependence on alcohol, so strong drinks occupy an important place in their lives. This is where the first phase of alcoholism begins.
Symptoms of beer alcoholism
I will give you specific symptoms of beer alcoholism
Symptoms of beer alcoholism are:
- A person often loses control over drinking beer. (drinks more than he should). Loss of control while drinking is the first sign of alcoholism.
- The person himself completely denies the presence of beer alcoholism.
- The addict defends and justifies his drinking in all possible ways. Contains a million reasons for "Why drink beer. "
Read the list below. If you have one or more symptoms, it clearly identifies that you have beer alcoholism.
- Your main reason for drinking beer is to relieve tension and relieve stress.
- In sobriety, when you’re not drinking beer, you’re depressed and depressed. They are often irritated, sometimes even aggressive. All this is due to the inconvenience of not using it.
- You consume beer regularly and constantly (every day or every week).
- You can't just give up beer forever. You can't help but use it at all.
In addition to being aware of the presence of beer alcoholism, a person should also study the negative consequences in the form of alcoholism symptoms associated with beer drinking.
Learning to recognize withdrawal symptoms and how to overcome withdrawal periods.
Moderate beer drinking will fail, give up on this idea right away. I wrote about this in the article "Can you drink in moderation? "
Complete unconditional abstinence from drinking beer, like any other alcohol, is a prerequisite for sobriety.
However, this is not enough.
To get rid of beer alcoholism, you need to learn how to avoid the breakdown of alcohol.
A breakdown occurs when your state of mind becomes so "negative" that drinking beer seems like the only option. What should be done to not get free and not drink beer, I wrote in the article "What is an alcohol breakdown and how to avoid it? "
To get rid of beer alcoholism, the most important thing is to know about your addiction.
Here's a step-by-step plan of what to do to get rid of beer alcoholism.
- Understand your addiction. Understand how you justify your addiction.
- Become aware of the problems caused by alcohol use.
- Learn about the negative effects of alcohol and know the signs and symptoms of alcoholism. You will need to read a lot of information, so adjust it right away.
- Understand what the sobering process looks like. Stopping drinking is not enough. You can't stop in one day. And you will have to deal with the consequences for more than a month.
- The most important skill you can learn along the way is to learn to avoid downtime.
- Prerequisite is complete abstinence from drinking beer on the way to sobriety.
If you have questions about beer alcoholism, you can always ask them in the comments.
Daily alcohol consumption
Large doses of alcohol are undoubtedly harmful: they are addictive and cause the development of chronic diseases. But if you drink, knowing when to stop, you can avoid the terrible consequences. The main thing is to correctly calculate the measure itself.
Is there a safe alcohol content
The body, due to the presence of a special enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver, is able to process a certain amount of alcohol without fatal health consequences. Each has its own rate: it depends on the amount of enzyme, metabolic characteristics, gender and age of the person.
Scientists from the World Health Organization have been able to calculate the average safe dose. If you do not exceed the specified amount, then you can avoid alcohol dependence, as well as keep the liver, pancreas, heart and other organs healthy.
Alcohol per day
It is not possible to calculate your safe rate outside of laboratory conditions.
This indicator depends on many factors. It is best to use average data.
For men
A harmless portion for men is 30 ml of ethyl alcohol.If we translate this number into drinks, it turns out that you can drink a day:
- 90 ml of vodka, cognac, whiskey, brandy or other beverages, strength 40 revolutions;
- 225 ml of fortified wine or port (alcohol 17-20%);
- 300 ml of dry wine or champagne (10-13 degrees);
- 750 ml of beer (5% alcohol).
You should drink at most five times a week at a time and preferably not every day.
For women
Due to its physical characteristics, the female body is more difficult to tolerate alcohol intoxication than the male. So the numbers for the ladies are a little different. The allowed amount is 20 ml of ethanol per day. But some researchers recommend dividing this indicator by two. 10 ml of pure alcohol is 30 grams of vodka or 100 ml of wine. The reason is that women are underweight and also produce less alcoholic dehydrogenase. This means that alcohol is more harmful.
How much alcohol can I drink per week
Five drinks a week is the maximum dose for a healthy person. But you shouldn’t spare them and drink in one day: the liver won’t be able to cope with the weekly norm at once. The probability of a serious hangover is high. If you perform such experiments regularly, it will lead to alcoholism.
When there is no secure sharing
Safe dose is a rather vague term.
So, people with acute or chronic diseases should not drink at all. Any, even the smallest amount of alcohol can react with the drug or lead to complications.
Also, there is no safe dose for children and adolescents under 18 years of age. At this age, the body is in the formation phase, and drinking has a depressing effect on the brain and nervous system, leading to degradation.
Pregnant and lactating mothers are another category of people for whom alcohol is extremely dangerous. If the expectant mother consumes alcohol during the prenatal period or during breastfeeding, all harmful substances enter the baby's body. This leads to serious mental disorders, developmental delays, congenital diseases.
Safe standard for the driver
According to the latest changes, the allowed percentage of alcohol while driving is 0. 35 ppm, which corresponds to 0. 35 grams of alcohol per liter of blood. In order for an average man weighing 70-80 kg to reflect such an indicator, he must drink 25-30 grams of pure alcohol. This is equivalent to a cup of vodka, a glass of wine or two small mugs of beer.
But before driving, you shouldn’t experiment with that amount either: the body may give an unpredictable reaction or the breathalyzer will go wrong. Then the driver will face a large fine or revocation - too high a price for the dubious pleasure of drinking.
It is necessary to calculate the time of weather conditions to ensure that enough time has elapsed after use and that it is safe to drive.
This can be done using a spreadsheet or network calculator or you can use a home breathalyzer.
Measure
The very norm that must be tirelessly followed when drinking alcoholic beverages is different for everyone. You can only recognize it once after leaving with a drink. Or sometimes only the body feels when it already has enough. In that case, don’t give in to the persuasion of a friend to drink a few more glasses. Otherwise, drinking a lot in the evening, you can say goodbye to a strong morning the next day, and you will also need to drink at least 3 liters of water and eat 4 tablets of anesthetic. Several such parties in a row with a strong hangover will bear fruit in a few months. Not only morning problems can start, but also health problems. Ethanol poisons almost every body system, from iodine balance to the liver or heart. It also leads to addiction, and as a result a well-known alcoholism disease occurs.