You can also make notes in your smartphone to keep track of your drinks. Keep in mind that the size of the drink and the percent of alcohol makes a difference. For example, many beers are about 5% alcohol, but some have higher percentages of alcohol. And some beers are sold in bigger sizes than the standard 12 ounces.

• Consuming too much alcohol for too long can be damaging to health.
• A review by Yeomans 5 highlights some of the potential explanations for alcohol’s influence on weight gain or obesity.
• Plan the non-alcoholic beverages you’ll order or make instead of alcoholic versions.

The Bottom Line: Balancing Risks and Benefits

Alcohol is metabolized by the liver, and frequent intake can lead to increased fat inside liver cells. Alcohol abuse can lead to cirrhosis, a very serious condition. Fatty liver gradually develops in 90% of those who drink more than a 1/2 ounce (15 ml) of alcohol per day (4, 5).

Lifestyle Quizzes

Heavy drinking and beer are linked to increased weight gain, while light to moderate drinking and wine are linked to reduced weight gain. Even moderate drinking may raise your risk for some types of heart disease and cancer. For example, the risk of breast cancer increases even at low levels of drinking (for example, less than 1 drink in a day).

Harvard Health Ad Watch: Got side effects? There’s a medicine for that

These effects are only temporary, but chronic alcohol abuse may cause permanent changes in your brain, often leading to impaired brain function (9, 10, 11). Excessive alcohol consumption can have numerous adverse effects on your brain. Ethanol, the active ingredient in alcoholic drinks, how to drink moderately is generally referred to as “alcohol.” It can have powerful effects on your mental state. While consuming alcohol in moderation appears to have some benefits, it is important to remember that too much can be devastating for overall health and even life-threatening in the long run. In 2015, 26.9 percent of people in the United States reported binge drinking in the past month.

• During pregnancy, drinking may cause the unborn baby to have brain damage and other problems.
• In this video, Dr. Bobby Lazzara explains the potential benefits of alcohol for your heart and emphasizes the importance of moderation.

Is Moderate Drinking Possible for People With Alcohol Use Disorder?

Beyond adding energy to a meal, alcohol may actually stimulate food intake 5. Of the 17 studies reviewed by Yeomans, ten showed increased food intake following alcohol consumption 5. One explanation is that there is a learned association between alcohol and eating; however, several experimenters disguised the presence of alcohol in their protocols and still found increased energy intake 5.

• Alcohol dependence is one of the main causes of alcohol abuse and disability in the US and a strong risk factor for various diseases (70).
• Finally, recommendations for future research are provided to promote a better understanding of the possible obesity-promoting effects of energy intake from alcohol.
• The cells lining your mouth and throat are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of alcohol.
• Genetic, psychological, social and environmental factors can impact how drinking alcohol affects your body and behavior.
• If you tend to drink excessively or notice that alcohol causes problems in your life, you should avoid it as much as possible.

Most people can consider either:

If you feel that you sometimes drink too much alcohol, or your drinking is causing problems, or if your family is concerned about your drinking, talk with your health care provider. Other ways to get help include talking with a mental health professional or seeking help from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar type of self-help group. He also explains that the potential benefits are poorly studied and that the possible long-term benefits are outweighed by the more immediate health problems caused by binge drinking. Consuming moderate amounts of certain types of alcohol, such as wine, has shown some benefits. However, it is important to note that many studies making these claims are inconclusive.