Doctors share alcohol recommendations for men vs women as guidance shifts

The new federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest simply limiting alcohol intake for better health.

The shifted guidance challenges previous standards that listed moderate drinking limits — one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.

A standard drink is about 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of liquor, according to experts.

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Heavy drinking is defined as four or more drinks per day for women and five or more drinks per day for men, per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Drinking this amount of alcohol within two hours is typically considered binge-drinking, which causes more than half of alcohol-related deaths in the U.S.

“It increases the risk of falls, burns, car crashes, memory blackouts, medication interactions, assaults, drownings and overdose deaths,” the group cautions on its website.

Many patients may believe their heavy drinking is not a concern because they can “hold their liquor,” but having a high alcohol tolerance is actually more of a reason to worry, the NIAAA mentioned.

Heavy drinking is defined as four or more drinks per day for women and five or more drinks per day for men.

“People with this trait tend to drink more and thus have an increased risk of alcohol-related problems,” the Institute stated. 

“Patients who drink within the limits of the Dietary Guidelines, too, may be unaware that even if they don’t feel a ‘buzz,’ driving can be impaired.”

‘The less you drink, the better’

Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel said he agrees with the shifting guidelines because any set standard sends an “unintentional message that some amount of alcohol is safe.”

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“Setting an arbitrary number doesn’t mean much, especially since people tend not to follow it anyway,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“Not only that, but since alcohol is addictive, what starts out as one drink quickly becomes two … it is a social lubricant and there is a positive side, but it is also a toxin.”

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Siegel suggested that there should be further guidelines surrounding the risks alcohol poses for the liver and heart, in addition to the dangers of drinking while driving.

“The less you drink, the better,” he said. “Alcohol impairs judgment, may easily be mixed with other harmful drugs like cannabis, [and can] lead to severe and fatal car accidents.”

Isaac Dapkins, M.D., chief medical officer and designated institutional official for the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone, noted the importance of limiting alcohol.

“No one should start drinking — or keep drinking — because they think it’s good for them.”

While men and women differ depending on age, body size and other environmental factors, women’s bodies can metabolize less alcohol than men, the doctor told Fox News Digital. 

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In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Mark Hyman, co-founder of Function Health in California, highlighted how women are at an increased risk of developing certain cancers due to hormonal shifts.

Meanwhile, men may be more likely to binge-drink, the doctor noted, as just one heavy drinking episode could increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. 

Hyman debunked the myth that drinking can be good for heart health. 

“There are no cardiovascular health benefits to drinking alcohol,” he said. “These assertions were based primarily on observational research, with a lot of confounding factors.”

The doctor added, “Less [alcohol] is better, and abstinence is best. No one should start drinking — or keep drinking — because they think it’s good for them.”

Know your risk

Dapkins recommends that individuals see their primary care doctor to discuss their personal risk.

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“There is no longer a ‘one size fits all’ status for most conditions,” he said. “There is so much new information discovered about how to characterize an individual’s risk based on family history, behaviors and current medical conditions.”

For anyone who has a personal history of tobacco use — or a family history of breast cancer, atrial fibrillation or substance abuse — Dapkins’ advice is to avoid alcohol.

“There is a significant association between alcohol intake and atrial fibrillation (or A. Fib.), high blood pressure, and breast, mouth and throat cancers,” he cautioned. “A. Fib. can cause a stroke and is directly associated with alcohol intake.”

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For those with no personal or family history, the concern would be less, according to Dapkins.

“If you choose to drink moderately, your doctor may be able to detect health conditions early to reduce your risk,” he went on. “The best option is to have a trusted clinician with whom you maintain a long relationship.”