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Original poster

Anyone think 14 units a week is really low?

181 replies

Bunnylady54 · 27/01/2020 16:35

The average bottle of wine is I believe about 9 units so 14 units is less than 2 bottles a week. I drink more than that! Does anyone think it’s pretty hard to stick to 14 units?

OP posts:
feelingverylazytoday · 28/01/2020 09:10

No, it's not low at all. I think it's a good guideline.
The fact that you (or other posters) may know a lot of people who drink much more is meaningless. Just because something may become normalised doesn't make it ok.

MaxAmount · 28/01/2020 09:16

How does it compare to other country's recommended limits?

Titsywoo · 28/01/2020 09:23

Well you see alcohol is a drug, that affects humans and other mammals if consumed. Some of the effects include a feeling of relaxation and well being. I'm suprised that needs explaining tbh

I know that but people can relax without alcohol and often brings anxiety when hungover so I don't think it works to relax people really. It's just a crutch.

hiddenmnetter · 28/01/2020 09:26

Hrm immediately post getting married and we had about 200 bottles of wine left over, I was known to drink 1-2 bottles per night myself. So that's blowing the weekly limit daily 😂😂

Now we've had children my dad keeps commenting on how abstemious we are- but that's because him and mum very much love a couple of bottles/night. DW and I generally don't drink of an evening, and if we do wouldn't drink more than half a bottle unless we have company.

However what I've noticed since drinking less is that my dad becomes intolerable company the closer he gets to the end of his second bottle. The amount of shit that he talks and general nonsense is actually quite boring to endure. It makes me think that he may well have a long term alcohol problem that has been disguised by the fact he was very successful and clever, and that the people around him also drank so we didn't notice. He's in his 70s now though so he won't change.

olivehater · 28/01/2020 09:31

I think it’s a myth that Europeans drink loads of wine. Maybe one with a meal plus as lot of it is weaker/watered down.
I think a small glass of wine with a meal every couple of days is acceptable then maybe a few extra on the weekend. But if you are pouring yourself a massive goblet every night and then polishing off the bottle you are kidding yourself that is ok in the long term.
But then I eat too much chocolate so who am I to judge. We all have our vices.

QueSera · 28/01/2020 09:31

Basically: For people who don't really drink much, no it's not low.
For people who enjoy alcohol, it is indeed very low.

Ariela · 28/01/2020 09:32

I'd say it's quite high - but then I'm probably 1 unit per 14 weeks.
Why do you think it is low?

itssquidstella · 28/01/2020 09:33

Up until a couple of years ago I would have said this was way too little. I didn't have a drinking problem, but I was in my twenties in London and went out a lot (either for dinner or to pubs and bars), so it was really easy to exceed.

I've cut down a lot in the last few years, only partly consciously: I rarely drink in the week and have reached an age where the hangovers make the drinking beforehand seem less worthwhile!

That said, in the holidays (I'm a teacher) I probably do exceed this some weeks - but it's balanced out by how little I drink during term time.

MotherOfLittlePeople · 28/01/2020 09:36

For me, that's not low at all but that's because I don't drink.

Forcryingoutloudwtf · 28/01/2020 09:38

I have drunk more than 14 units in a week. I would do it on holiday sometimes and Christmas week but in an average week I wouldn't hit 14 units even if the week included a night out at the pub with my friends. So 14 doesn't seem low to me but I would occasionally go over it. I think if someone is consistently drinking 14 units a week then they are drinking quite a lot.

TeenPlusTwenties · 28/01/2020 09:40

I think 14 units a week is quite a reasonable amount.
Neither DH or I get anywhere near that, it takes us 2+ weeks to get through a bottle of wine. But we come from families where drinking is only occasional.
What I have noticed is that in the last 30 years wine glasses have grown. It used to be 6 glasses in a bottle, not it seems to be 4 or 3. I get lightheaded after less than half of on 'old' glass of wine.

peachescariad · 28/01/2020 09:40

Its way too low - also it is too arbitrary as it ignores height, weight, metabolism, age and all the other factors which determine how the body handles and processes alcohol. But I guess it's good to have a guideline cos at least the majority of people are aware of the limit even if they don't stick to it....like me!!! three bottles a week

delilahbucket · 28/01/2020 09:42

Throughout December I was easily going over that every week. Eating out, going out, a couple of bottles of wine at home. I was drinking every other day. That isn't normal for me though and now I've cut back down to 2-3 nights a week, two large glasses of wine and I've had enough. I have that once a week, a couple of gins midweek sometimes, but I measure out and I have alcohol free gin sometimes if I want to feel like I've had a drink without the drunk feeling.
My problem is I really like the taste, but I don't like being drunk, so I'm working my way through none alcoholic beverages to find something that tastes similar.

Jumpingforgin · 28/01/2020 09:48

I think that's alot of alcohol to be honest, and if I drank that weekly, I'd feel constantly wrecked. I have young children though, so even two glasses of wine doesn't seem worth it the next day, as dealing with kids and a headache is no fun. I occasionally have a small glass of wine or a bottle of beer with dinner (like twice a week at most) and think that's more than enough. Obviously will drink more if we go to a party/wedding, but that's not a regular occurrence. If I was regularly drinking "bottles of wine a week" I'd consider that a problem.

Extracurricularfatigue · 28/01/2020 09:48

If you have a glass of wine at home every evening with dinner or when you get in you could easily go over it and it wouldn’t feel like you’d drunk much if that was your normal drinking pattern. I have definitely been that person, and of course at the weekend it’s two or three glasses and you’re way over. So I can see why you think it’s so little and that is the sort of drinking doctors are thinking about when they advise having a few days off a week - it brings that down. A lot of people I know drink that much.

I’m drinking only at weekends at the moment and don’t miss the weekdays so will try to keep it that way but I also don’t drink to get drunk. I drink because I like the taste of wine, and I don’t drink any sweet drinks at all (don’t like them) so it’s water or wine for me. Characterising someone who drinks wine with their dinner as someone who is out to get drunk is Hmm.

I do spend a lot of time working in France and I do notice that my French colleagues drink a lot less. Many restaurants have a decent range of half bottles or pichets of 25/50cl as well as bottles. Some of them may have a small glass at lunch when I wouldn’t, but then also only have a small glass with a restaurant meal when I’m knocking back half a bottle. Last time I went out there were four of us at the table and only one bottle of wine was ordered and drunk. Our 250ml glasses definitely make it easier to knock the stuff back.

measelsmumpsandweasels · 28/01/2020 10:00

It's not whether or not you feel it's low - it's where the clinical data shows it's actually causing you significant risk/harm. Like it or not that's where the line is.

nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 28/01/2020 10:12

To me it seems ridiculously high but I don't drink at all and dont really know what a unit looks like. My vice is coca cola and tbh I could probably do with a weekly limit. 😂

MaxAmount · 28/01/2020 10:51

it's where the clinical data shows it's actually causing you significant risk/harm. Is it though - where's the clinical data for exactly 14 units - have you a link?

measelsmumpsandweasels · 28/01/2020 11:04

@MaxAmount It's not based on one paper. You can knock yourself out of pubmed plowing through all the papers. The guidance was evidence based not arbitrary. Start here if you like:

www.nhs.uk/news/lifestyle-and-exercise/people-who-drink-above-uk-alcohol-guidelines-lose-one-two-years-life/

riotlady · 28/01/2020 11:15

I don’t think it’s low at all, yes it’s easy to hit if you drink every night but you probably shouldn’t do that?

I went out for cocktails yesterday afternoon and had 3, so that’s probably 6-9 units depending on the strength. That leaves me 5 units to have a couple of gin and tonics or glasses of wine after work on Friday. Feels like plenty!

Damntheman · 28/01/2020 12:50

haha!I think 14 units is a massive amount, but I don't drink very much at all :) If you're healthy and happy OP then you do you and don't worry too much about it.

fussychica · 28/01/2020 14:08

I drink on 3 nights a week usually. A G&T and wine, 5 units per night so 15 units. I'd be lying if I said 14. Not really sure why 14 units is the recommended limit, 2 units per night every night I suppose but they recommend several nights per week abstinence.
In the past I have drunk more, particularly when I lived abroad.
I love the taste of both gin and wine but have no interest in getting drunk.

fussychica · 28/01/2020 14:14

delilahbucket I'm interested in trying a low or alcohol free gin and seen lots advertised, do have a favourite?

measelsmumpsandweasels · 28/01/2020 14:26

Well yes or there's the conspiracy theory of they're lying and just trying to control us....oh dear...