That world health org brief referenced in that ncd link is really just scaremongering
There is plenty of evidence to show that moderate alcohol is protective of heart disease, which is kind of backed up by fact countries like Spain and France who drink far more than us on average, have better heart health.
Although maybe less people die of heart disease in those countries as their liver packs in first…
Why does tbe first beer really quench my thirst but the third makes me so thirsty i have to drink a bucketful?
There is plenty of evidence to show that moderate alcohol is protective of heart disease, which is kind of backed up by fact countries like Spain and France who drink far more than us on average, have better heart health.
I don't think it is "far more", there isn't a huge difference. And other factors such as diet probably plays a part. The difference between Spanish/French diet and British diet is probably more significant than alcohol intake.
Spanish recommended limit for booze is over double ours
I agree it’s probably influenced by diet to some degree however my point was that that who statement relating to heart disease and alcohol is not accurate, as there is plenty of evidence that it shows alcohol is protective against CHD
And plenty of reseach debunking that claim
Her opposite , is a single parent and her recycling bin is always overflowing with wine bottles every week. There must be at least 15.
Drinking at home can be terrible for the health. It's much better for you down the pub.
Holiday last week, so 2 or 3 ciders every night with a meal, 5 days so about a dozen total.
Camping with mates and Mrs S.
I do this about 4 times a year, but if I'm walking a decent distance the next day I'll drink orange juice.
Usually 3 or 4 bottles of cider or beer a week, but not every week.
Will double that once a month if we go to the pub.
In my teens and twenties it was 25 pints a week minimum, often a hell of a lot more.
Spanish recommended limit for booze is over double ours
That doesn't surprise me but the link below suggests that alcohol consumption in Spain is actually lower than the UK
https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/research/research-and-evaluation-reports/comparisons
And plenty of reseach debunking that claim
Such as?
I'd guess about 8-10 pints a week though in reality this would usually be 5-6 pints and a couple of vodka and tonics.
The problem is this will almost always be consumed in one go, at the weekend rather than spread out. I don't usually drink in the week but will go to the pub or town on a Saturday teatime with my wife and/or friends and drink then.
I do exercise/train 4-5 days a week and take it semi seriously so wonder how much I'd improve my cycling/running if I reduced my intake. I'd be lying if I said I didn't look forward to going out at the weekend though.
Case in point: I did 45miles pretty much as hard as I could on the road bike at 6am Sat morning and then spent 4pm- 1am later the same day out drinking with friends and then a meal out, followed by a gig etc. So, I'm not really sure what physiological benefit was really gained from the bike ride other than shifting a load of calories I then presumably immediately put back on, with interest.
evidence that it shows alcohol is protective against CHD
There's evidence that there's possibly some benefits of a small glass of beer or wine a day, but that's totally overwhelmed by the actual evidence that a good diet and exercise does have on your health. Given that Spain has a climate that means that getting outdoors most of the year round and diet that contains lots of fresh veg probably goes more than a little way to offsetting alcohol intake in that country.
1-2 x 330ml cans daily Mon-Thursday
2-3 x 330ml cans daily Fri-Sun
Plus probably 2-3 pints a week during pub stops on rides.
There’s evidence that there’s possibly some benefits of a small glass of beer or wine a day, but that’s totally overwhelmed by the actual evidence that a good diet and exercise does have on your health
The two aren’t mutually exclusive. Of course good diet and exercise is more important than alcohol to ward off heart disease, no one has ever claimed otherwise
Good article Here of some of the evidence that shows up to 2 glasses a day can be protective, plus the potential mechanism for why.
Like a lot on this thread, I've had a difficult relationship with alcohol 1 is too many and 10 is not enough!
Now into my 50's I seem to be able to moderate consumption a bit more.
Wife and kids bought me a perfect draft machine 2 years back and I think there has been 6 kegs through it!
What I've found really helps is having a job where I am on-call every 3rd week.
The actual work part is crap but having to be available and sober is easy!
And to answer the question maybe 6 beers a week most often consumed at the the weekend.
The two aren’t mutually exclusive. Of course good diet and exercise is more important than alcohol to ward off heart disease, no one has ever claimed otherwise
Oh sure. I would say that if you want to have a healthy long life, your chances of that are better without alcohol. If you want to have a glass of wine or a small beer with your dinner because you like to, then crack on, I think trying to tell yourself that the second glass is "for your heart health" is probs pushing your luck. 🙂
A unit a month on ave maybe. Two in one night and I am on my way to sh1t-faced.
I have never been a constant big drinker, and I often gave it up.
I have been riding bikes daily since 94, and then when my twin boys turned up in 2010, long hours at work and home and early mornings/late nights meant something had to 'give', rides with my mates was not going to be it. Booze went and still has almost 100%.
Generally at 55 and eating very healthy/anything I want 80/20 I feel amazing. I am not likely to change now.
60 pints= 8.57/day that's crazy
During the pandemic when I was working on a recycling truck there were people who had that much every 2 weeks!
About 14 pints a week.
More than the recommended amount, but sod it, I like it.
A shot of brandy in the double espresso in a cafe in the morning, set the day up nicely!
This is the carajillo. Worrying when you see on-duty cops drinking them at 7am...
That said, the Spanish (generally speaking) have a different relationship with drinking - a midmorning beer on a café terrace looks bad to British eyes, but doesn't lead to an all day sesh. When you go out together, you're not getting a round every 20 minutes - there can be empty glasses on the table for half an hour before getting the next round. People leave half a bottle of wine after their menu del día. Etc.
These (or similar) threads pop up quite often now. I started one myself earlier in the year. I guess people kind of know when it's too much.
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-quit-the-booze/
I was drinking too much in my opinion. I've mostly given up since then, bar a few events.
If I'm completley honest with myself, I do miss it. I drink the zero beers quite often now, but always crave proper beer/red wine. But I feel MUCH better without it, and have achieved the things I'd aimed for - making more time for the family and kids without being a wreck hungover!
Yesterday, wake up early doors, out for a lovely hike with the dog, then out for a couple hours MTBing with the boy in the forest. Then still had over half the day to do other stuff.
I think if I didn't suffer with any hangover (like some lucky people), I'd drink a lot.
60 pints= 8.57/day that’s crazy
Not that crazy for regular drinkers, I know plenty of people who drink close to that if not more. Their not degenerate alcoholics either, all hold down sometimes high ranking responsible jobs, it's just what their used to.
Me varies week to week but probably averages 30 units a week.
Far too much. Yesterday was 5 pints and a couple of glasses of red wine. Still got up and rode 20 miles to work though, no hangover.
I don’t think it is “far more”, there isn’t a huge difference. And other factors such as diet probably plays a part. The difference between Spanish/French diet and British diet is probably more significant than alcohol intake.
The idea that a Spanish or French diet is somehow better than a British diet is really old fashioned, and not even vaguely true these days. I remember it being touted in the 80s that a Mediterranean diet was better for you, ignoring the fact that lots of Mediterranean food was poverty based. But people went on holiday, and saw ancients in the villages they were visiting and decided that olive oil soaked pasta must be better than spuds. The fact that those ancients were really only 50 didn't enter their mind.
Life expectancy in France, Spain and Italy are all higher than the UK, by a small number of years, but Norway, Switzerland and Iceland are at the top of the list. Fermented shark anyone?
I don't do moderation so it's all or nothing. Had a year off drinking during covid, and sometimes have a break of a month but when it's on, it's on! four to eight pints or one to three bottles of wine majority of the week if I'm honest. Well, Fri/Sat/Sun for sure. Funny thing is, I only enjoy it when I'm drinking, I mean, if say I'm having a month off I never think about it. I'd happily give it up if it wasn't for the fact I'd never see my friends and family again...
About a bottle of red or half a bottle and a couple of beers.
It varies.
I usually get through 8 440ml cans of craft a week. Usually a bit less, sometimes more. If I go out I'll do that or more in a night.
This is a huge cut back from pre-covid days when I was drinking at least half again on the beer (and steadily rising) along with at least half a bottle of rum each week. More importantly, I was getting fidgety on nights when I chose not to have a drink.
Probably around 60 pints of beer a week
I can't stop thinking about this. Is that real? If so then seriously, that is so far away from being okay. By any measure, you need need to cut that right back.
On a normal working week, I try to limit drinks to one or two nights, Fri and Sat. I find it hard enough to get up in the morning for work as it is. Holidays are different rules. I reckon if I average things out it would be 1/2 - 1 bottle of wine per week. I've got a mini keg of beer in the garage unopened since my birthday in May.
I do find the more often I drink, the more often I want to drink. When I don't drink often, I really don't miss it at all.
depends really - i've not had a drink since mid-Aug on holiday, and doubt i'll have one again until i either get the train somewhere (rare event) or go away for work (November?)
Will probably get smashed at the work Christmas do.
I can go months without touching a drop, then drink every night for a week if working away.
If someone told me i could never drink again i'd not be that bothered.
Probably around 60 pints of beer a week
Surely it depends on how much booze is in the beer? I mean it must get to a point if it's a weak session-beer where the negative effects of the alcohol are cancelled out by time and the sheer amount of water being consumed? There must be a mathematical theory for this.
Usually 3 bottles of red a week, sometimes 4. Still able to compete at a good level and enjoy it so not bothered about living till 99.
How much do you get through? It was too much hence why I started this topic as motivation to give up Reducing Beer - Help!
I used to drink a bottle of IPA a night, but a shot across the bows was being told I was pre-diabetic, so I cut out the beer, that was in Feb 2020, and have stayed off it ever since except for the odd occasion. I lost weight and did not need to keep going to the loo in the night! Instead I have a small amount of single malt nightly, a bottle of Talisker lasts me ages, and it's a nice end of the day treat.
cheers,
Keith
Surely it depends on how much booze is in the beer? I mean it must get to a point if it’s a weak session-beer where the negative effects of the alcohol are cancelled out by time and the sheer amount of water being consumed? There must be a mathematical theory for this.
An average of 8.5 pints per day. Even if it was a weak beer, to allow it to be cancelled out by time would mean constant drinking through most of the day, so no working, no driving, etc. If drunk through an evening, then means that the drinker shouldn't be driving the next morning, and probably not doing anything that requires concentration.
Also, seeing as this is a MTB forum, that's maybe 1600 calories a day consumed, so putting on half a kg of fat every few days. I assume that the 60 pint a week drinker is making time - 20+ hours of strenuous activity each week - to counter the effects of this and stay race fit? 😀
Probably around 60 pints of beer a week
Surely it depends on how much booze is in the beer? I mean it must get to a point if it’s a weak session-beer where the negative effects of the alcohol are cancelled out by time and the sheer amount of water being consumed? There must be a mathematical theory for this.
Isn't 60 pints of anything per week excessive! 🙂
10-15 pints a week spread over 4-5 nights. Not very good at getting in the booze free days. At the same time I don't have more than 4 in a night most of the time.
Not great drinking habits though.
I'm not sure for everyone that's it's correct to say that all have difficulties with alcohol. I love it. But stay away on a school night as it's something to look forward to at the weekend.
An average of 8.5 pints per day. Even if it was a weak beer, to allow it to be cancelled out by time would mean constant drinking through most of the day, so no working, no driving, etc. If drunk through an evening, then means that the drinker shouldn’t be driving the next morning, and probably not doing anything that requires concentratio
Without getting into driving 8 pints is 3 hours after work in the pub for some not an all day session. People who drink like that build up a tolerance to alcohol, 8 pints and to look at them you might not even think they'd been drinking. 20 pints is a good session for some . I agree long term it's very probably going to have a negative effect on their health but not everyone is prepared to give up what they enjoy for what in their mind "might" hapen. Effects on your weight will be down to your metabolism, activity levels and how much else you eat. But with a few exceptions most heavy drinkers I know have impressive beer bellies 😱
https://inews.co.uk/news/health/official-britain-worst-diet-europe-121585
The British diet in general is a public health disaster zone. We have a terrible problem with diet-related ill health,” said Tim Lang, Professor of food policy at City University
There is no way on earth that 8 pints a day is remotely good for you! At that level you are looking at heart muscle disease and cirrhosis of the liver.
I think the jury is probably still out on ‘moderate’ alcohol intake, but that’s pure nuts
Try to stick within guidelines, 14 units or so... how that plays out against ABV etc mixes up the amount of cans / bottles etc.
Without getting into driving 8 pints is 3 hours after work in the pub for some not an all day session.
I know. I was replying to : it must get to a point if it’s a weak session-beer where the negative effects of the alcohol are cancelled out by time and the sheer amount of water being consumed? but I used driving as a particular point. If you can't legally drive to work in the morning, are you really effective in work? I know we've all turned up properly hungover at some point, but 8 pints of an evening, every evening, and then pretending to be a normal human being?
And 'building up a tolerance' doesn't mean that the alcohol isn't affecting you, just that you're vaguely managing to cope with life at that consumption level. A bottle of wine barely seems to affect me when I'm watching rugby and playing guitar of a Friday night. But I know it would be very unwise of me to ride my MTB around the woods.
Of course, I'm assuming that the drinker is working; looking at it from own POV. Because if I was drinking 60 pints a week I wouldn't be doing anything other than working, drinking, trying to recover, working, drinking, trying to recover. 60 pints a week doesn't leave a lot of time for other activities, even if you swallow them at the bar one after the other.
Very little. I'll occasionally have a pint of muddy ale or rough cider but if someone told me I couldn't ever drink alcohol again I would not be disappointed.
My little sister and her BF came to stay recently (she's 50) and she is something of an... 'enthusiast', shall we say. I could not keep up, and didn't particularly want to.
Without getting into driving 8 pints is 3 hours after work in the pub for some not an all day session. People who drink like that build up a tolerance to alcohol, 8 pints and to look at them you might not even think they’d been drinking. 20 pints is a good session for some
Or they could be retired or self-employed and drink gradually through the day. A regular intake of a lower ABV might even keep one under the limit? Think about workers who go out for lunchtime drinks, they're ok to drive come five, so assuming having a few ales say, nine AM to lunchtime, then a few more in the afternoon, a couple in the evening... easily done.
Regarding the tolerance and driving thing, that's where I think the set-in-stone limits are a bit unfair. Some people could be over but fine to drive after many pints whereas someone else could be drunk after one. Roadside 'walk the line' tests would be fairer.
