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Is 8 units really a binge?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Thomas1234
Thomas1234

Current guidelines used by organisations like Drinkaware set 8 units as the line to cross and then you are a binge drinker. So if you pop down to your local pub and have a couple of pints, walk home for dinner and have a large (250 ml) glass of wine, that is a binge. Really?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Robin2015
    Robin2015 Thomas1234

    Posted

    I would not agree. Depends on how many units you drink per week. Perhaps you do not drink Monday or Tuesday. Somebody listed 8 units as binge drinking and I would agree. More people will reply later today. Rgds Robin
    • Thomas1234
      Thomas1234 Robin2015

      Posted

      Hi Robin. On the units p wk and the dry days, are you saying that you may not be a fully paid up binge drinker if you have 8 on say, a Saturday night? But if you had a couple of dry days and drank 40 units p wk (which I do) then 40/5 drinking days = 8 units per drinking day which makes me a binge drinker. The wine expert Hugh Johnson has been drinking a bottle of wine per day for years which puts him over 8 per day and in the fifties to low sixties in units per week. That makes him both a binge drinker and in the high risk category according to Drinkaware. I think he is now in his eighties and in good health.
  • dannybob
    dannybob Thomas1234

    Posted

    Nah no way.  the guildlines are set for the weakest poeple Society the government know everyone bends and brakes rules. Remember in the uk any health issues someone may get from drinking or even becoming an alcoholic the NHS foots the bill so the uk government are obviously going to use scare tactics to stop/slow  you drinking.  Even tho they get a lot of tax from alcohol. People will always buy alcohol. 

    Ask  your self why in most other countrys the weekly alcohol unit allowance much higher? If Move to Spain the government there say you can drink 35 units a week with no health risks at all. I think China says 4 pints a day and you will be fine. 

    Uk = nanny state. 

    Not saying drink loads as you will be fine . I’m Just saying worrie less. I’ve drank every day if im honest for 11 years. I thought I done my liver or my pancreas in it turned  out to be gallstones and gastritis.  I was so worried, but it was the wake up call I needed I couldn’t sleep with worrying. I couldn’t wait on the NHS for results and booked in for a fibroscan privately £400 it’s the next best thing from a liver biopsy. I had a better than adverage score I got A score of 6 with 7 being normal and anything above  12 being the start of cirrhosis. The worst score being 40 or 60 I can’t remember. The scoring measures the stiffness of the liver higher the score the more trouble you’re in. I also had loads of blood tests each time they said I was in perfect health. 

    After reading so many scare stories I now only drink at week ends (that’s hard at times)  I’ve been lucky to get away with the years I poisoning my body. Not every1 is 

    • dannybob
      dannybob

      Posted

      Really Sorry bad spelling grammar missing words . I should really read before I send 
    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 dannybob

      Posted

      Hi dannybob. Agree with you! Drank lots and lots 30+ years and stopped 5 years ago and liver OK. Blood pressure fine 80/120 and pulse 59. No cholesterol or diabetes. Perhaps I am lucky but would never agree with anybody to do what I did and get away with it if you see what I mean. Rgds Robin
    • Thomas1234
      Thomas1234 Robin2015

      Posted

      Interesting point Robin about 'getting away with it'. A lot of the advice including on what is a binge is based on interpretation of risk which is a relative thing. And different for different people so I think much of it errs way over on the side of caution to avoid any sort of criticism. But is that helpful or realistic? 

       

    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 Thomas1234

      Posted

      I do recommend for anybody to have one or two off without drinking each week.
  • dannybob
    dannybob Thomas1234

    Posted

    Nah no way.  the guildlines are set for the weakest poeple Society the government know everyone bends and brakes rules. Remember in the uk any health issues someone may get from drinking or even becoming an alcoholic the NHS foots the bill so the uk government are obviously going to use scare tactics to stop/slow  you drinking.  Even tho they get a lot of tax from alcohol. People will always buy alcohol. 

    Ask  your self why in most other countrys the weekly alcohol unit allowance much higher? If Move to Spain the government there say you can drink 35 units a week with no health risks at all. I think China says 4 pints a day and you will be fine. 

    Uk = nanny state. 

    Not saying drink loads as you will be fine . I’m Just saying worrie less. I’ve drank every day if im honest for 11 years. I thought I done my liver or my pancreas in it turned  out to be gallstones and gastritis.  I was so worried, but it was the wake up call I needed I couldn’t sleep with worrying. I couldn’t wait on the NHS for results and booked in for a fibroscan privately £400 it’s the next best thing from a liver biopsy. I had a better than adverage score I got A score of 6 with 7 being normal and anything above  12 being the start of cirrhosis. The worst score being 40 or 60 I can’t remember. The scoring measures the stiffness of the liver higher the score the more trouble you’re in. I also had loads of blood tests each time they said I was in perfect health. 

    After reading so many scare stories I now only drink at week ends (that’s hard at times)  I’ve been lucky to get away with the years I poisoning my body. Not every1 is 

  • dannybob
    dannybob Thomas1234

    Posted

    Nah no way.  the guildlines are set for the weakest poeple Society the government know everyone bends and brakes rules. Remember in the uk any health issues someone may get from drinking or even becoming an alcoholic the NHS foots the bill so the uk government are obviously going to use scare tactics to stop/slow  you drinking.  Even tho they get a lot of tax from alcohol. People will always buy alcohol. 

    Ask  your self why in most other countrys the weekly alcohol unit allowance much higher? If Move to Spain the government there say you can drink 35 units a week with no health risks at all. I think China says 4 pints a day and you will be fine. 

    Uk = nanny state. 

    Not saying drink loads as you will be fine . I’m Just saying worrie less. I’ve drank every day if im honest for 11 years. I thought I done my liver or my pancreas in it turned  out to be gallstones and gastritis.  I was so worried, but it was the wake up call I needed I couldn’t sleep with worrying. I couldn’t wait on the NHS for results and booked in for a fibroscan privately £400 it’s the next best thing from a liver biopsy. I had a better than adverage score I got A score of 6 with 7 being normal and anything above  12 being the start of cirrhosis. The worst score being 40 or 60 I can’t remember. The scoring measures the stiffness of the liver higher the score the more trouble you’re in. I also had loads of blood tests each time they said I was in perfect health. 

    After reading so many scare stories I now only drink at week ends (that’s hard at times)  I’ve been lucky to get away with the years I poisoning my body. Not every1 is 

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