Health Tip: How Much Alcohol is Safe?

(HealthDay News) -- As a general rule of thumb, one alcoholic drink per day for women and two per day for men are considered moderate and safe amounts, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says.

But some people of legal age shouldn''t drink at all, including pregnant women, people who use high-speed machinery, those who take certain medications, and recovering alcoholics, the institute says.

Examples of a single alcoholic drink include a 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or one 1.5-ounce glass of distilled spirits, the agency says.

-- Deborah DiSesa Hirsch

Last Updated: Feb. 28, 2006