Many men enjoy having a beer or a glass of wine after work to unwind and relax. However, daily alcohol consumption can quickly cross the line from moderate drinking into problem drinking. So when does a habit become unhealthy and is it normal for men to drink every day?
What constitutes moderate drinking?
According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. One drink is considered:
- 12 oz beer (about 5% alcohol)
- 5 oz wine (about 12% alcohol)
- 1.5 oz distilled spirits (about 40% alcohol)
Drinking within these limits is not considered harmful or addictive for most adults. Going above these amounts or drinking every single day starts putting a person at risk for alcohol use disorder and long-term health consequences.
Is daily drinking common for men?
Many men do drink daily even if they don’t meet the clinical criteria for alcoholism. According to national surveys:
- About 4 in 10 men report drinking alcohol in the past 30 days.
- 1 in 4 men report binge drinking (having 5 or more drinks at one occasion) in the past 30 days.
- 1 in 12 men report heavy drinking (binge drinking 5+ days in the past month).
While not all men who drink daily are alcoholics, even moderate daily drinking may be too much and considered abnormal by experts.
Is daily drinking risky for men?
Drinking every day comes with short-term and long-term risks for men’s health. Some problems associated with daily drinking include:
Short-term risks
- Impaired judgement
- Coordinaton issues
- Mood disturbances
- Memory problems
- Difficulty concentrating
- Risk of injury or violence
Too much alcohol can reduce inhibitions and alter mood. This can lead to reckless behavior such as drunk driving, violence, risky sexual behavior, and alcohol poisoning from excessive intoxication.
Long-term risks
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Liver disease
- Pancreatitis
- Certain cancers
- Ulcers and stomach issues
- Sexual dysfunction
- Permanent nervous system damage
Over years and decades, the toxins in alcohol can damage organs and systems throughout the body. Daily drinking also often leads to nutritional deficiencies and alcohol dependence.
What are signs of an alcohol use disorder in men?
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, problem drinking turns into alcoholism when a person cannot control their drinking despite the harm it causes. Signs a man may have an alcohol use disorder include:
- Drinking alone frequently
- Drinking to cope with stress, anxiety, or other problems
- Unsuccessful attempts to cut back on alcohol
- Spending a lot of time drinking, buying alcohol, or recovering from a hangover
- Neglecting other interests, responsibilities, and activities
- Continuing to drink despite alcohol-related job, legal, health, or relationship problems
- Drinking in dangerous situations like before driving
- Increased tolerance to alcohol (needing more drinks to feel effects)
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms like nausea, sweating, tremors, and anxiety when not drinking
Alcohol use disorder is a disease that often requires professional help and treatment to overcome. About 14 million adults in the U.S. have an alcohol use disorder.
What are statistics on men and alcohol abuse?
Some key statistics on men and problem drinking include:
- Men are twice as likely as women to drink excessively or binge drink.
- 25% of men report binge drinking in the past month compared to just 12% of women.
- Men account for over 75% of alcohol-related deaths like drunk driving fatalities and alcohol poisoning.
- Excessive alcohol use causes 90,000 deaths per year in the U.S., with men accounting for approximately 70% of these deaths.
- One study found that men with alcoholism die approximately 20 years earlier on average than men in the general population.
This data indicates men drink more heavily than women on average and suffer more issues from excessive alcohol consumption.
Age of first use
According to survey data, most men who struggle with alcohol began drinking in their youth:
- 15 was the average age men first tried alcohol.
- 18 was the average age that men who got treatment for alcoholism first tried alcohol.
- 21 was the average age that alcohol dependent men first drank weekly.
Early onset of drinking seems to be linked to an increased likelihood of alcohol dependence later in life.
Genetic factors
Twin studies suggest that genetics account for approximately half of a person’s risk for alcoholism. Having alcoholic family members, especially a father with alcoholism, increases a man’s predisposition. Personality traits like being bold, a sensation seeker, or impulsive also raise risk.
| Factor | Level of Risk |
|---|---|
| Father is alcoholic | 3-4 times higher |
| Both parents are alcoholic | 5-8 times higher |
| Identical twin is alcoholic | Over 5 times higher |
Is drinking every day alcoholism?
Frequent drinking does not necessarily mean someone is an alcoholic. However, drinking every single day, even moderate amounts, is considered a red flag for alcohol abuse.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the key diagnostic criteria for alcoholism are:
- Being unable to limit drinking habits despite wanting to
- Spending excessive time seeking out alcohol, drinking, or recovering from hangovers
- Strong cravings or urges to drink
- Failing to meet home, work, or school obligations due to repeated alcohol use
- Continuing to drink despite alcohol-related social or interpersonal problems
- Giving up past hobbies, activities, and social interactions due to alcohol use
- Drinking in hazardous situations
- Continuing to drink despite physical or psychological problems caused or worsened by alcohol
- Needing more alcohol over time to get the desired effects (tolerance)
- Experiencing nausea, sweating, tremors or anxiety when not drinking (withdrawal)
People who drink daily should closely evaluate if alcohol is causing any of the issues above. Getting irritable, shaky, or ill when Sobering up could indicate physical dependence.
What’s high-risk drinking?
For men, drinking patterns considered high-risk include:
- Having more than 4 drinks in a day
- Drinking more than 14 drinks per week
- Binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month
Drinking at these levels frequently makes someone prone to develop an alcohol use disorder. It also immediately endangers health from alcohol poisoning, injuries, violence, and drunk driving crashes.
What about drinking 1-2 drinks daily?
While moderate alcohol use is defined as up to 2 drinks per day for men, drinking 1-2 drinks every single day can still increase health risks. Some problems of daily drinking include:
- Fatty liver disease and potential liver damage
- Digestive problems like reflux, ulcers, and leaky gut
- Increased blood pressure
- Higher cancer risk, especially head and neck cancers
- Weight gain and obesity
- Disrupted sleep
- Irritability and mood instability
- Diminished motivation, energy, and concentration
These effects accumulate over months and years of daily use. Drinking most days also often leads to periodic binge drinking episodes.
What are healthy limits for men?
To avoid long-term harm and addiction, experts recommend men:
- Limit alcohol to 2 drinks or less per day, with non-drinking days each week
- Have no more than 4 drinks on any one occasion
- Limit weekly alcohol use to 14 drinks or fewer
- Avoid binge drinking, alcoholism runs in the family
- Don’t drink at all if under age 21 or have health conditions that interact with alcohol
Drinking within these limits is unlikely to cause health, legal, social, or personal problems for most men. However, quitting drinking altogether is the healthiest option.
What if someone cannot control daily drinking?
The inability to control drinking habits, even when it causes problems, is a strong sign of alcoholism. Shooting past self-imposed limits or constantly resetting rules about when and how much to drink also indicates alcohol abuse.
Some steps that can help address problem drinking include:
- Consulting a doctor for evaluation of alcohol use disorder
- Seeing a mental health professional to manage stress, anxiety, trauma, or other factors underlying heavy drinking
- Avoiding triggers and drinking cues by staying out of bars or alcohol-centered social events
- Picking up new hobbies and activities to fill time previously spent drinking
- Seeking support through alcohol abuse programs like Alcoholics Anonymous
- Entering an alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation treatment program
With help, even heavy daily drinking can be addressed and overcome. However, untreated alcoholism tends to progressively worsen over time.
Conclusion
While many men can enjoy an occasional drink, daily alcohol consumption is widely considered abnormal and unhealthy. Drinking every single day significantly increases risks of addiction, injuries, organ damage, and disease over the long-term. Moderating alcohol use and embracing sobriety are wise steps for any man worried about their drinking habits.