The steps
The guideline
Australian guidelines advise healthy adults to have no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day. One standard drink contains about 10 grams of alcohol.
The liver does the work
Alcohol is filtered through the liver, and drinking too much is a common cause of fatty liver and cirrhosis.
Sources: Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Liver; healthdirect Australia, Fatty liver disease
Fat in the liver
Fatty liver affects about 1 in 3 Australian adults. In most people the liver damage can be reversed with lifestyle changes, including drinking little or no alcohol.
Broken sleep
Alcohol can disrupt your sleep cycles, leading to poorer quality sleep. healthdirect suggests stopping alcohol at least 4 hours before bed.
Source: healthdirect Australia, Sleep
Rising pressure
Drinking more alcohol than recommended raises the risk of high blood pressure. When managing blood pressure, healthdirect suggests no more than 2 standard drinks a day for males and 1 for females.
Source: healthdirect Australia, High blood pressure (hypertension)
Cancer risk
Drinking alcohol raises the risk of bowel cancer, and the less you drink, the lower your risk.
Source: Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Bowel cancer
Quiz
1. How much alcohol is in one standard drink?
Answer: About 10 grams. One standard drink contains about 10 grams of alcohol, according to healthdirect.
2. What is the guideline maximum on any one day for healthy adults?
Answer: 4 standard drinks. No more than 4 standard drinks on any one day, and no more than 10 a week.
3. How does alcohol affect sleep?
Answer: It can disrupt your sleep cycles. Alcohol can disrupt your sleep cycles, leading to poorer quality sleep.
Source: healthdirect Australia, Sleep