how much alcohol is too much?

[c_arolina]

I know that there is a recommended safe limit of alcohol to be consumed a week etc, but I know plenty of people who do drink more than this ,my friends grandmother is 99 and swears by her whisky every day and i dont mean 1 or 2! anyway she is physically fit as a fiddle. Also celebrities are at different parties and bashes every night and surely drink more than the said amount of units A lot of jobs involve lunches and events that involve socially drinking and having a busy social life usually involves a fair bit of alcohol. Anyway so how do you know if you really are drinking too much and that it will definately be affecting your health. I'm not talkin about drinking first thing in the morning and drinking for no reason or alcohol dependance but social drinking. Just wondering what peoples views were..

[mkjuk]

Upto 80 units a week is fine - doctors don't know what they're talking about.

Trust me

[snook]

Imagine we didn't have a government to tell us how much is too much, what then? We'd all have to use our common sense and actually think for ourselves, that's what! The thing is, you know when you've had enough. Not when you're 17, no, but when you're actually a grown up and you've been round the block a few times. And if you're actually interested in not wasting your life away, and not seeing it through the bottom of a glass, you start to take notice of that little voice in your head... the one that's telling you you've had enough. You listen, and you take note. And that's when you stop.

[campbellking]

The bright yellow tinge supplied by the jaundiced liver is always quite an obvious sign...

[andy-hughes]

The major problem with this type of measurement is the simple fact that everyone is different.

The variations in physiology, life-style, regular consumtion, and so on, are infintgely variable, so no 'standard' can be applied.

The problem with our culture is the habit of establishing a 'limit' - be it for driving or health, and then watching everyone try to get as close to it as they can, without going over - apart from sections of society who ignore any sort of rules for any sort of reason.

For me, as a tee-totaller, one can of strong larger would render me unable to find the car, never mind drive it! others can drive several with no apparent impairment - it is down to individuals.

I don't think celebrities do party every night - they get photographed lots of times at the same functions, which makes it appear they are always out, and always drinking.

As has been suggested, your body will advise you in asecending degrees of unpleasant reactions, when you have consumed enough. The problem with western society is the notion that giving yourself alcohol poisoning is a measure of having had a good time.

Perverse, but true.