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I would say that 3-4 beers several times a week is allot of alcohol. It is an amount where I would definitely start to think that ones life would be degraded i

I would say that 3-4 beers several times a week is allot of alcohol. It is an amount where I would definitely start to think that ones life would be degraded in certain ways by the amount of alcohol consumed. Where I live the recommendations are that people that drink 10 or more units of alcohol per week should be provided support from the healthcare system to reduce their drinking.

calvinmorrison 3y ago
90% of alcoholic drinks are consumed by the top 10%. Something like 40% of people don't drink ANY alcohol, another 10% a few times a year, 10% maybe once a month, the last once a week, and the final group, drinks 10-20 drink per day...
- CalRobert 3y ago
  For anyone curious about a source, there's https://archive.is/j3lg3 https://archive.is/j3lg3 . Though I still vaguely recall looking at the source data (now lost to linkrot) and thinking that they had misinterpreted it.
- jollyllama 3y ago
  Aren't you missing the group in between the last two that has two a day?
  - UberFly 3y ago
    Nope. It goes from 1 a week to 20 a day. Slippery slope I guess.
- hef19898 3y ago
  I couldn't help by reading your comment with Seth Mayers immitating Bernie Sanders in my head. Nor could I help posting this, sorry...
zelos 3y ago
Exactly. Maybe I’m just a lightweight, but 4 beers is into ‘drunk’ levels for me. Doing that 2 or 3 times a week? Of course that’s going to have health impacts.
- onion2k 3y ago
  Regular drinking exercises your liver and keeps it at peak performance. (I am not a doctor.)
  - drivebyadvice 3y ago
    Makes you smarter too. Your brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells, and alcohol tends to kill the weakest brain cells first. It's like culling the herd, you speed everything up. (.../s)
  - itishappy 3y ago
    (Also not a doctor.) Your liver is pretty unique here, as most other organs don't grow back (they get covered in scar tissue if they grow back at all). You can donate your liver, they'll remove about half, and it'll be back to normal in about 2 months.
- lm28469 3y ago
  It's all about tolerance. Half a pint gets me quite tipsy now because I drink maybe once a month at best, a pint will get me past the sweet spot already. A few years back I could have half a bottle of wine and be in the same perceived state
  - dadadad100 3y ago
    Is it also age? As I got old (50s) I could feel it hitting more. It’s stronger now (60s)
- Retric 3y ago
  Depends on the timeframe and body weight. For a 280lb guy 4 beers over 4 hours isn’t particularly noticeable.
hydrok9 3y ago
yet many people still think that having 2 to 6 beers after work every day is somehow normal
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- marssaxman 3y ago
  "Normal" is a function of one's social environment, so for many people, having 2 to 6 beers after work every day actually is normal.
  - hydrok9 3y ago
    right, I guess I was meaning normal as in people do it because there's no harm in it at all
    - marssaxman 3y ago
      That's interesting; is it your perspective that people generally believe "that which is commonly done" to be equivalent with "that which is probably harmless"? I don't see it that way at all, but my attitude about risk doesn't fit well with what I see in the culture where I live; perhaps the people I'm observing experience the world more in the fashion you describe.
      - hydrok9 3y ago
        it's a pretty normal and established occurrence I'd Say. I don't know if most people do that, but yes one way to rationalize or reassure yourself that what you are doing is safe is to look around at the wider group and see if people are doing it without worry.
cmiller1 3y ago
> I would say that 3-4 beers several times a week is allot of alcohol. I agree, I drink on average 1-2 a month, it's going to be 3-4 this month because of extra family and friend gatherings because of the holidays and I'm already feeling like its excessive. The article doesn't answer if my level of drinking would require the same length of abstinence.
- Spooky23 3y ago
  Thanksgiving through new years is the season for conceiving. September is by far the most popular birth month!
arsome 3y ago
As pointed out by the parent comment, one strong 16 Oz can is already 2 drinks. Having 2 of those in a night or even slightly weaker ones puts you in the 3-4 drink range. I'm sure I'm not the only one with a habit of having 2 of those a few nights a week to tie a long day off.
- standardUser 3y ago
  When I think of "beers" in America, I usually think of Bud Light or similar lightweight lagers that are usually in the 4-5% alcohol range. Drinking 3-4 of those over a few hours with food will not get most people very drunk at all, depending on bodyweight and tolerance. I prefer IPAs which average closer to 7% and that higher alcohol concentration seems to make a big difference. Drinking 3-4 of those can get a person quite drunk.
  - u32480932048 3y ago
    It seems you've been downvoted by people who get drunk on two Bud Lights, lol
    - standardUser 3y ago
      I guess so! I mean hey, if you never drink and you weigh 150lbs and have an empty stomach and you chug two Bud Lights... you're gonna get drunk! But this is not the situation most people are in when we think of someone "having a few beers". And maybe people have different ideas of "drunk"? I don't think simply feeling some effect from alcohol constitutes being drunk.
  - romafirst3 3y ago
    There is an interesting explanation for this. Instead of thinking of apv what matters to your body is more the “retained alcohol” over a period of time. Your body can process something like a 4% beer every hour, so drinking one 4% beer an hour isn’t going to get you that drunk as your body is keeping up. Drinking a 5% beer though you start retaining 1% of beer an hour, but with a 6% beer you retain 2% per hour (twice as much alcohol) and you get twice as drunk. So for a 7% beer you will be 3 times as drunk. Rough math and everyone will be different, but you get the idea.
misiti3780 3y ago
It's interesting to observe the varied attitudes towards the consumption of alcohol. If someone chooses to drink alcohol and it doesn't negatively impact other aspects of their life, it could be viewed as a personal choice rather than a matter of societal concern. Throughout history, many cultures have incorporated alcohol into daily life, often as part of their culinary traditions. It's important to remember that life is finite, and how one chooses to experience it, as long as it doesn't harm others, can be seen as a personal decision. However, it's also crucial to acknowledge that responsible consumption and understanding its potential effects on health and well-being are key considerations.
- giraffe_lady 3y ago
  > If someone chooses to drink alcohol and it doesn't negatively impact other aspects of their life Almost everyone who drinks has this view of their own alcohol consumption. They aren't always wrong about this, but certainly very many of them are. Even people who are very obviously experiencing negative consequences of alcohol use will confidently assert that this isn't the case.
  - ryandrake 3y ago
    > Almost everyone who drinks has this view of their own alcohol consumption. They aren't always wrong about this, but certainly very many of them are. This just seems like a trap. "Alcohol doesn't negatively impact my life." "Well, that's exactly what an alcoholic would say!" So, you can't rely on the person's own judgment. But you can't rely on others' judgment either. For any level of alcohol intake, from 1 beer a year to a liter of vodka a day, you can easily find someone who says it's too much and someone who says it's fine (or at least 'it depends').
    - hydrok9 3y ago
      rationalizing it is really dangerous. I had a friend who who used to say, "everyone has addictions."
    - u32480932048 3y ago
hotpotamus 3y ago
It's in the eye of the beholder I suppose. I wouldn't consider that bad, but that's coming from a former hope-to-die alcoholic who would drink around a dozen units of alcohol on any given night. I also know others who drank at about that level. I was able to keep up a job at a tech company as well, though I'd say that job was degrading my life and the alcohol was more a result of that than the other way around. I'm certainly not under the impression that it was good for me; I don't drink at all any more.
- swells34 3y ago
  >it's in the eye of the beer holder.
hackernoteng 3y ago
I have drank average of 3 oz. per day (3 beers, or one healthy pour of scotch or bourbon), 5-6 days per week for the last 30 years. All blood work is normal. My parents drink significantly more than that are still healthy in their 70s.
- bell-cot 3y ago
  > I have drank average of 3 oz. per day (3 beers, or one healthy pour of... Maybe `sed 's/oz. per/drinks per/'` here? Though if they're 12oz x 8.5% beers, and the "healthy pour" is 8oz of 80 proof...

calvinmorrison 3y ago

90% of alcoholic drinks are consumed by the top 10%. Something like 40% of people don't drink ANY alcohol, another 10% a few times a year, 10% maybe once a month, the last once a week, and the final group, drinks 10-20 drink per day...

CalRobert 3y ago
For anyone curious about a source, there's https://archive.is/j3lg3 https://archive.is/j3lg3 . Though I still vaguely recall looking at the source data (now lost to linkrot) and thinking that they had misinterpreted it.
jollyllama 3y ago
Aren't you missing the group in between the last two that has two a day?
- UberFly 3y ago
  Nope. It goes from 1 a week to 20 a day. Slippery slope I guess.
hef19898 3y ago
I couldn't help by reading your comment with Seth Mayers immitating Bernie Sanders in my head. Nor could I help posting this, sorry...

zelos 3y ago

Exactly. Maybe I’m just a lightweight, but 4 beers is into ‘drunk’ levels for me. Doing that 2 or 3 times a week? Of course that’s going to have health impacts.

onion2k 3y ago
Regular drinking exercises your liver and keeps it at peak performance. (I am not a doctor.)
- drivebyadvice 3y ago
  Makes you smarter too. Your brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells, and alcohol tends to kill the weakest brain cells first. It's like culling the herd, you speed everything up. (.../s)
- itishappy 3y ago
  (Also not a doctor.) Your liver is pretty unique here, as most other organs don't grow back (they get covered in scar tissue if they grow back at all). You can donate your liver, they'll remove about half, and it'll be back to normal in about 2 months.
lm28469 3y ago
It's all about tolerance. Half a pint gets me quite tipsy now because I drink maybe once a month at best, a pint will get me past the sweet spot already. A few years back I could have half a bottle of wine and be in the same perceived state
- dadadad100 3y ago
  Is it also age? As I got old (50s) I could feel it hitting more. It’s stronger now (60s)
Retric 3y ago
Depends on the timeframe and body weight. For a 280lb guy 4 beers over 4 hours isn’t particularly noticeable.

hydrok9 3y ago

yet many people still think that having 2 to 6 beers after work every day is somehow normal

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
marssaxman 3y ago
"Normal" is a function of one's social environment, so for many people, having 2 to 6 beers after work every day actually is normal.
- hydrok9 3y ago
  right, I guess I was meaning normal as in people do it because there's no harm in it at all
  - marssaxman 3y ago
    That's interesting; is it your perspective that people generally believe "that which is commonly done" to be equivalent with "that which is probably harmless"? I don't see it that way at all, but my attitude about risk doesn't fit well with what I see in the culture where I live; perhaps the people I'm observing experience the world more in the fashion you describe.
    - hydrok9 3y ago
      it's a pretty normal and established occurrence I'd Say. I don't know if most people do that, but yes one way to rationalize or reassure yourself that what you are doing is safe is to look around at the wider group and see if people are doing it without worry.

cmiller1 3y ago

> I would say that 3-4 beers several times a week is allot of alcohol. I agree, I drink on average 1-2 a month, it's going to be 3-4 this month because of extra family and friend gatherings because of the holidays and I'm already feeling like its excessive. The article doesn't answer if my level of drinking would require the same length of abstinence.

Spooky23 3y ago
Thanksgiving through new years is the season for conceiving. September is by far the most popular birth month!

arsome 3y ago

As pointed out by the parent comment, one strong 16 Oz can is already 2 drinks. Having 2 of those in a night or even slightly weaker ones puts you in the 3-4 drink range. I'm sure I'm not the only one with a habit of having 2 of those a few nights a week to tie a long day off.

standardUser 3y ago
When I think of "beers" in America, I usually think of Bud Light or similar lightweight lagers that are usually in the 4-5% alcohol range. Drinking 3-4 of those over a few hours with food will not get most people very drunk at all, depending on bodyweight and tolerance. I prefer IPAs which average closer to 7% and that higher alcohol concentration seems to make a big difference. Drinking 3-4 of those can get a person quite drunk.
- u32480932048 3y ago
  It seems you've been downvoted by people who get drunk on two Bud Lights, lol
  - standardUser 3y ago
    I guess so! I mean hey, if you never drink and you weigh 150lbs and have an empty stomach and you chug two Bud Lights... you're gonna get drunk! But this is not the situation most people are in when we think of someone "having a few beers". And maybe people have different ideas of "drunk"? I don't think simply feeling some effect from alcohol constitutes being drunk.
- romafirst3 3y ago
  There is an interesting explanation for this. Instead of thinking of apv what matters to your body is more the “retained alcohol” over a period of time. Your body can process something like a 4% beer every hour, so drinking one 4% beer an hour isn’t going to get you that drunk as your body is keeping up. Drinking a 5% beer though you start retaining 1% of beer an hour, but with a 6% beer you retain 2% per hour (twice as much alcohol) and you get twice as drunk. So for a 7% beer you will be 3 times as drunk. Rough math and everyone will be different, but you get the idea.

misiti3780 3y ago

It's interesting to observe the varied attitudes towards the consumption of alcohol. If someone chooses to drink alcohol and it doesn't negatively impact other aspects of their life, it could be viewed as a personal choice rather than a matter of societal concern. Throughout history, many cultures have incorporated alcohol into daily life, often as part of their culinary traditions. It's important to remember that life is finite, and how one chooses to experience it, as long as it doesn't harm others, can be seen as a personal decision. However, it's also crucial to acknowledge that responsible consumption and understanding its potential effects on health and well-being are key considerations.

giraffe_lady 3y ago
> If someone chooses to drink alcohol and it doesn't negatively impact other aspects of their life Almost everyone who drinks has this view of their own alcohol consumption. They aren't always wrong about this, but certainly very many of them are. Even people who are very obviously experiencing negative consequences of alcohol use will confidently assert that this isn't the case.
- ryandrake 3y ago
  > Almost everyone who drinks has this view of their own alcohol consumption. They aren't always wrong about this, but certainly very many of them are. This just seems like a trap. "Alcohol doesn't negatively impact my life." "Well, that's exactly what an alcoholic would say!" So, you can't rely on the person's own judgment. But you can't rely on others' judgment either. For any level of alcohol intake, from 1 beer a year to a liter of vodka a day, you can easily find someone who says it's too much and someone who says it's fine (or at least 'it depends').
  - hydrok9 3y ago
    rationalizing it is really dangerous. I had a friend who who used to say, "everyone has addictions."
  - u32480932048 3y ago

hotpotamus 3y ago

It's in the eye of the beholder I suppose. I wouldn't consider that bad, but that's coming from a former hope-to-die alcoholic who would drink around a dozen units of alcohol on any given night. I also know others who drank at about that level. I was able to keep up a job at a tech company as well, though I'd say that job was degrading my life and the alcohol was more a result of that than the other way around. I'm certainly not under the impression that it was good for me; I don't drink at all any more.

swells34 3y ago
>it's in the eye of the beer holder.

hackernoteng 3y ago

I have drank average of 3 oz. per day (3 beers, or one healthy pour of scotch or bourbon), 5-6 days per week for the last 30 years. All blood work is normal. My parents drink significantly more than that are still healthy in their 70s.

bell-cot 3y ago
> I have drank average of 3 oz. per day (3 beers, or one healthy pour of... Maybe `sed 's/oz. per/drinks per/'` here? Though if they're 12oz x 8.5% beers, and the "healthy pour" is 8oz of 80 proof...