Safe alcohol limit rises with age

A direct dose-response relation exists between alcohol consumption and risk of death in women aged 16-54 and in men aged 16-34, whereas at older ages the relation is U shaped. White and colleagues (p 191) use statistical models relating alcohol consumption to the risk of death from single causes to estimate the all cause risk for men and women of different ages. They suggest that women should limit their drinking to 1 unit a day up to age 44, 2 units a day up to age 74, and 3 units a day over age 75. Men should limit their drinking to 1 unit a day up to age 34, 2 units up to age 44, 3 units up to age 54, and 4 units a day up to age 84. 


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Relevant Article

Alcohol consumption and mortality: modelling risks for men and women at different ages
Ian R White, Dan R Altmann, and Kiran Nanchahal
BMJ 2002 325: 191. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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