Whilst not dependent on alcohol, my dad drinks alcohol every day. Should I be concerned?
The first thing to point out is that advice from the Chief Medical Officer is that you should have at least two alcohol free days per week. This gives your liver a chance to properly metabolise the alcohol and recover from what is a potentially toxic substance. Your dad should therefore try to cut back on the frequency of his alcoholic intake, in order to ensure his liver continues to function well.
Secondly, it very much depends on how much he is drinking each day. The safe daily guidelines for men have been set at 3-4 units; this is the equivalent of 1½- 2 pints of 5% beer/lager, or a large glass (250ml) of 12% wine. Drinking more than this can significantly increase your chance of developing cirrhosis of the liver, oral cancers, high blood pressure and of having a haemorrhagic stroke.
If you are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking then you can contact Drinkline on 0800 917 8282. (Drinkline is a 24 hour confidential helpline run by fully trained advisers, who can also advise you on services in your local area).
For more information on the links between excessive alcohol consumption and different conditions please see our factsheet pages.
- Page last updated by
- Root User, 04 Sep 2009.
- Page checked on
- 23 Sep 2008
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