Recommendations for consumption of the drug alcohol (also known formally as ethanol) vary from recommendations to be alcohol-free to daily or weekly drinking "safe limits" or maximum intakes. Many governmental agencies and organizations have issued guidelines. These recommendations concerning maximum intake are distinct from any legal restrictions, for example countries with drunk driving laws or countries that have prohibited alcohol.
General recommendations
These guidelines apply to men, and women who are neither pregnant nor breastfeeding.
Alcohol-free recommendations
The World Health Organization published a statement in The Lancet Public Health in April 2023 that "there is no safe amount that does not affect health"'.
The 2023 Nordic Nutrition Recommendations state "Since no safe limit for alcohol consumption can be provided, the recommendation in NNR2023 is that everyone should avoid drinking alcohol."''
The American Heart Association recommends that those who do not already consume alcoholic beverages should not start doing so because of the negative long-term effects of alcohol consumption.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction states "Not drinking has benefits, such as better health, and better sleep."
Alcohol intake recommendations by country
Some governments set the same recommendation for both sexes, while others give separate limits. The guidelines give drink amounts in a variety of formats, such as standard drinks, fluid ounces, or milliliters, but have been converted to grams of ethanol for ease of comparison.
Overall, the daily limits range from 10–37 g per day for men and 10-16 g per day for women. Weekly limits range from 27–170 g/week for men and 27–140 g/week for women. The weekly limits are lower than the daily limits, meaning intake on a particular day may be higher than one-seventh of the weekly amount, but consumption on other days of the week should be lower. The limits for women are consistently lower than those for men.
Specific populations
Pregnant women
Excessive drinking in pregnancy is the cause of fetal alcohol syndrome (BE: foetal alcohol syndrome), especially in the first eight to twelve weeks of pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women receive special advice. It is not known whether there is a safe minimum amount of alcohol consumption, although low levels of drinking are not known to be harmful. As there may be some weeks between conception and confirmation of pregnancy, most countries recommend that women trying to become pregnant should follow the guidelines for pregnant women. Australia: Total abstinence during pregnancy and if planning a pregnancy Canada: "Don't drink if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant." France: Total abstinence Hong Kong: "Abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy is the safest choice." Iceland: Advise that pregnant women abstain from alcohol during pregnancy because no safe consumption level exists. Israel: Women should avoid consuming alcohol before and during pregnancy The Netherlands: Abstinence New Zealand: "Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should avoid drinking alcohol." Norway: Abstinence Sweden: Abstinence. UK: Abstinence during pregnancy US: Total abstinence during pregnancy and while planning to become pregnant
In short, all countries listed above now recommend that women abstain from alcohol consumption if they are pregnant or likely to become pregnant.