Department of Health recommendations

Women: no more than two to three units per day
Men: no more than three to four units per day
Pregnant women: no more than one or two units once or twice per week
Menopausal women and men over 40 years: one or two units per day.

These recommendations are for people in good health not for people with a medical condition such as a peptic ulcer or reflux oesophagitis. Remember that this is just a guide to the limits a healthy person can drink without putting their health at risk. It is not a daily target to reach nor is it safe to drink these amounts and drive, operate machinery or undertake other tasks that require concentration if they are to be performed safely. Your doctor may have given you advice about alcohol that is tailored to your individual needs. Notice that the Department of Health no longer sets weekly limits. That means you cannot “save up” units and use all of them all in one binge at the end of the week and expect to have no ill effects.