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How many units? Print

The alcohol content of drinks is measured in units. One UK unit contains eight grams of pure alcohol.

The UK Government advises that men should not regularly drink more than three to four units a day and women not more than two to three. Consistently drinking four or more units for men, and three or more for women, isn't advisable because of the progressive health risks it carries. After an episode of heavy drinking it is advisable to refrain from drinking for 48 hours. And of course, in some situations like pregnancy , it's better to avoid drinking alcohol.

If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, you can call this free helpline, in complete confidence. They can put you in touch with your local alcohol advice centre for help and advice. Call Drinkline on 0800 917 8282 (open 24 hours)

Work out the units
It's the strength and size of a drink that determines how many units it has. It's not as simple as one drink, one unit. So here's a handy calculator to help you work it out. In the box on the left, click His if you're male and Hers if you're female.

Click on the drinks to find out how many units you've had... one click for each drink.

If you can't find a particular drink or the serving size isn't listed, you can work out the unit content by multiplying the volume in ml by the abv and dividing the result by 1000.