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Alcohol and your health

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Overview

Alcohol can affect your body in many ways, depending on factors like your age, family history, body type and how much you drink.

Learn about the Australian Alcohol Guidelines and how alcohol can affect your health, plus tips for drinking less.

Key Takeaways

  • The Australian Alcohol Guidelines recommend that healthy adults drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week.
  • High-risk drinking increases the risk of serious health conditions, including some cancers.
  • Practical tips, such as setting drink limits, choosing low-alcohol options, and alternating drinks can help you drink less alcohol.
  • If you’re concerned about how much alcohol you drink, talk to your doctor.
Sections on this page

Australian Alcohol Guidelines

To reduce the risk of harm, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) revised the Australian Alcohol Guidelines in 2020.

If you drink alcohol, the guidelines recommend:

  • healthy adults drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day
  • people under 18 years of age should not drink alcohol
  • women planning a pregnancy and pregnant and breastfeeding women should not drink alcohol.
  • If you have a medical condition or take medicine, talk to your doctor about the risks of drinking alcohol.

Learn more about alcohol, tips for minimising alcohol harm and where to get help on the Alcohol and Drug Foundation website.

What is high-risk drinking?

Any amount of alcohol can affect your health. But binge drinking can cause serious harm.

Binge drinking means having 5 or more standard drinks at one time – even if you only do it once or twice a week.

Tips for drinking less alcohol

The following tips might help you drink less alcohol.

Before you start drinking:

  • decide how many drinks you’ll have and stick to it
  • offer to be the designated driver so you won’t drink.

While you’re drinking:

  • start and end with non-alcoholic drinks
  • switch between alcohol and non-alcohol drinks, including water
  • choose low-alcohol options like light beer or wine with soda
  • sip slowly and don’t rush
  • count your drinks and don’t let others top you up
  • eat food to slow down alcohol absorption.

Try to avoid:

  • home-mixed drinks where you don’t know the alcohol content
  • drinking games or rounds
  • salty foods that make you thirsty.

Where to get help

If you or someone you know needs help with alcohol, talk to your doctor. They can give you information and may recommend counselling, treatment and support programs.

Learn more from the Alcohol and Drug Foundation

Find treatment and support services

You can also call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.

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