Drinking too much alcohol can affect your appearance and your health so it’s important to stick within the daily amount recommended by health experts. There is no recommended limit for young people under the age of 18. Teenagers are still growing and developing so medical experts say that it is better not to drink alcohol.
For people over the age of 18, NHS Health Scotland advise that:
- Females shouldn't drink more than 2-3 units per day.
- Males shouldn’t drink more than 3-4 units per day.
It's not a good idea to drink this much every day. Your body will need a rest from processing all that alcohol. So you should have at least one alcohol free day a week.
These figures can only be used as a rough guide. Your actual body size, gender, the speed at which you drink, what you eat, age . . . all affect the way you absorb alcohol and the effect it has on your body.
What is binge drinking?
Binge drinking is when you drink a huge amount of alcohol in a short space of time. The amount of alcohol that counts as a binge is lower than people tend to think. NHS Health Scotland say that drinking more than eight units in one night for men, and six units for women is binge drinking. Doing this on a regular basis damages your body.
These guidelines are for over 18s only. There is no recommended limit for young people under 18 to drink.
More help & information
Drinkline - If you want to speak to someone about your own drinking, call Drinkline on 0800 7 314 314 (24hrs).
Al-anon- Support for the families affected by someone else's alcohol problems.
Alcolator- If you're worried about someone else's drinking or your own then you can get information here. If you live in Greater Glasgow and Clyde you can arrange an appointment with someone to get support with your drinking.
Talk to Frank- Find out more about the effects of alcohol, the risks and the law.
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