There are many scientific verifications of and reports about the influence of alcohol consumtion on our health.
The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State Univerity (USA) has on their web site Micronutrient Information Center / Alcoholic Beverages a good outline of how, on one hand moderate and on the other hand heavy alcohol consumption, influence our health.
A standard alcoholic drink contains approximately 14 grams of alcohol, which is about 15 cl of wine or 5 cl of liquor.
Moderate Alcoholic Consumtion (as defined by U.S. Department of Agriculture)
- Men: No more than two standard drinks / day
- Women: No more than one standard drink / day *
- Adults over 65: No more than one standard drink / day #
Heavy Alcohol Consumtion
- Men: 15 or more standard drinks / week or 5 or more alcoholic drinks on any occasion
- Women: 8 or more standard drinks / week or 4 or more drinks on any given occasion *
- Adults over 65: 8 or more standard drinks / week or 4 or more drinks on any given occasion #
* In addition to weighing less, on average, women absorb and metabolize alcohol differently than men. In general, women have less body water than men of similar body weight, so women achieve higher blood alcohol concentrations after drinking equivalent amounts of alcohol.
# Age associated decreases in lean body mass may result in decreased total body water and higher blood alcohol concentration in older adults compared to younger adults after drinking equivalent amaounts of alcohol.