{"meta":{"status":200,"messages":[],"pagination":{"max":1,"offset":0,"count":1,"total":1,"pageNum":1,"totalPages":1,"sort":null,"currentUrl":"https://api.digitalmedia.hhs.gov/api/v2/resources/media.json?offset=0&max=1&ignoreHiddenMedia=1&format=json&id=8401&newUrlBase=http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol","nextUrl":null,"previousUrl":null}},"results":[{"content":"\n
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Alcohol Use and Your Health

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Key points

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  • Excessive alcohol use can have immediate and long-term effects. \n
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  • Excessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking during pregnancy or by people younger than 21. \n
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  • Drinking less is better for your health than drinking more. \n
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  • You can lower your health risks by drinking less or choosing not to drink. \n
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Why it's important

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  • Your liver can only process small amounts of alcohol. \n
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    • The rest of the alcohol can harm your liver and other organs as it moves through the body. \n
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  • Using alcohol excessively on occasion or over time can have immediate and long-term health risks. \n
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  • By drinking less alcohol, you can improve your health and well-being. \n
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Deaths from excessive alcohol use

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\n 178,000 \n
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About 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use each year in the United States.1

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Understanding alcohol use

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Excessive alcohol use

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Excessive alcohol use is a term used to describe four ways that people drink alcohol that can negatively impact health. Excessive drinking can also be deadly.

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\n Drinking alcohol excessively can negatively impact your health. \n
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Excessive alcohol use includes:

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  • Binge drinking\u2014Four or more drinks for women, or five or more drinks for men during an occasion. \n
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  • Heavy drinking\u2014Eight or more drinks for women, or 15 or more drinks for men during a week. \n
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  • Underage drinking\u2014any alcohol use by people younger than 21. \n
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  • Drinking while pregnant\u2014any alcohol use during pregnancy. \n
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Moderate alcohol use

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  • Moderate drinking is: \n
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    • For men\u2014two drinks or less in a day. \n
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    • For women\u2014one drink or less in a day. \n
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  • Keep in mind that a beverage that you drink might have more than one standard drink of alcohol in it. \n
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Check your drinking

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Take a few minutes to check your drinking. You will get personalized feedback that can help you decide if you want to drink less.

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Effects of short-term alcohol use

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Drinking excessively on an occasion can lead to these harmful health effects:

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  • Injuries\u2014motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and burns. \n
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  • Violence\u2014homicide, suicide, sexual violence, and intimate partner violence. \n
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  • Alcohol poisoning\u2014high blood alcohol levels that affect body functions like breathing and heart rate. \n
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  • Overdose\u2014from alcohol use with other drugs, like opioids. \n
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  • Sexually transmitted infections or unplanned pregnancy\u2014alcohol use can lead to sex without protection, which can cause these conditions. \n
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  • Miscarriage, stillbirth, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)\u2014from alcohol use during pregnancy. \n
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Effects of long-term alcohol use

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Over time, drinking alcohol can have these effects:

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Cancer

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\n Drinking alcohol increases the risk of several types of cancer. \n
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  • Drinking any alcoholic beverages, including red and white wine, beer, and liquor, is linked with cancer. \n
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    • The risk of some cancers increases with any amount of alcohol use.2 This includes breast cancer (in women).2A \n
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  • More than 20,000 people die from alcohol-related cancers each year in the United States.3 \n
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More information about alcohol and cancer risk is available in the Surgeon General's advisory.

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Other chronic diseases

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Excessive alcohol use can lead to:

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  • High blood pressure. \n
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  • Heart disease. \n
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  • Liver disease. \n
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  • Stroke. \n
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  • Alcohol use disorder\u2014this affects both physical and mental health.B \n
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  • Digestive problems. \n
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  • Weaker immune system\u2014increasing your chances of getting sick. \n
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Social and wellness issues

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  • Mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. \n
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  • Learning problems, and issues at school or work. \n
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  • Memory problems, including dementia. \n
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  • Relationship problems with family and friends. \n
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Prevention

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You can take steps to lower your risk of alcohol-related harms.

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The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk for these health effects, including several types of cancer.

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\n Sources \n Print \n Share \n
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\n Facebook \n LinkedIn \n Twitter \n Syndicate \n
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\n Content Source: \n
\n National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP); \n About the Division of Population Health; \n CDC Alcohol Program \n
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  1. The risk of alcohol use leading to breast cancer in men has not been established.
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  2. Most people who drink excessively do not have alcohol use disorder (also known as \"alcohol dependence\" or \"alcoholism\"). Many people who drink excessively can lower their alcohol use without specialized medical treatment. Facts about alcohol use disorder are available at: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder.
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  1. Esser MB, Sherk A, Liu Y, Naimi TS. Deaths from excessive alcohol use \u2014 United States, 2016-2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73:154\u2013161. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7308a1
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  2. Bagnardi V, Rota M, Botteri E, et al. Alcohol consumption and site-specific cancer risk: a comprehensive dose-response meta-analysis. Br J Cancer. 2015;112(3):580-593. doi:10.1038/bjc.2014.579
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  3. Esser MB, Sherk A, Liu Y, Henley SJ, Naimi TS. Reducing alcohol use to prevent cancer deaths: estimated effects among U.S. adults. Am J Prev Med. 2024;66(4):725\u2013729. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.12.003
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Syndicated Content Details:
Source URL: http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets.htm
Source Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Captured Date: 2016-05-23 22:20:20.0
","description":"Excessive alcohol use can lead to increased risk of health problems such as injuries, violence, liver diseases, and cancer.The CDC Alcohol Program works to strengthen the scientific foundation for preventing excessive alcohol use.\n","id":8401,"mediaType":"Html","name":"Fact Sheets - Alcohol","sourceUrl":"http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets.htm"}]}