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14 June 2010 How much is too much?

There are certain things people will always remember; Michael Owen’s wonder goal against Argentina in ’98 for example; Bobby Moore’s tackle and Gordon Banks’ save against Brazil in 1970; David Platt’s last gasp winner against Belgium at Italia ’90; The (cough) ‘Hand of God’…

There are other important things, however, that are seemingly harder to fix in the mind. Drinkaware research shows that eight out of ten people don’t know the correct number of units they should not regularly exceed.

So if you’re watching the game down the pub or at home with some mates, exactly how much alcohol is too much?

Everyone reacts differently to alcohol. Your height, weight and gender are just some of the factors that play a part in how alcohol affects you. Even what you've had to eat that day or how much sleep you've had recently can make a difference to how you feel when you drink.

So, if you want to enjoy a drink and stay safe your best bet is to stick to the recommended guidelines. The magic numbers you need to remember are that

men should not regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol per day, and women should drink no more than two to three. Regularly drinking more than the guidelines has an array of health risks attached.

It's all very well talking in units, but what does this really mean? The size and strength of your drink will determine the number of units it contains. Unfortunately it's not as simple as one drink, one unit. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is a pint of 5% lager or large glass of wine contains three units. Also, when drinking at home there’s a tendency for people to pour measures that are larger than they might get in their local. So you could be regularly drinking far more than you think.

Dr Michael Wilks has spent almost twenty years advising on the risks associated with alcohol and believes people are frequently using the wrong methods to assess whether they are drinking too much. "Just because you're not always out 'getting drunk' don’t assume you're drinking at safe levels," says Dr Michael Wilks. "Heavy drinkers build up a tolerance.”

But isn't tolerance a good thing? Doesn't it mean you can drink more without it affecting you? Dr Wilks continues: “Building tolerance might mean that you don’t notice the effects so much, but the fact remains: the more you drink the greater the risk to your health. If you're building up tolerance, that is a warning sign.”

A good place to start is by finding out just how many units there are in your favourite tipple. Use our interactive unit calculator to work out. Keeping a drink diary can be a good way of keeping track. You'll find an easy to use confidential diary here.

Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to enjoy a drink without putting your health at risk

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Drinkaware advises men not to regularly drink more than 3–4 units of alcohol a day.