Moderate Drinking Defined: Standard Drink Sizes for Men and Women

“Moderate alcohol intake” varies by guideline, but U.S. Dietary Standards define it as:

Daily Limits

• Women: ≤ 1 standard drink per day
• Men: ≤ 2 standard drinks per day

What Counts as One Standard Drink?

Beverage	Volume	Typical ABV
Regular beer	12 fl oz (355 mL)	5%
Malt liquor	8–9 fl oz (240–265 mL)	7%
Table wine	5 fl oz (148 mL)	12%
Distilled spirits (80 proof)	1.5 fl oz (44 mL)	40%

Each delivers ~14 g (0.6 fl oz) of pure alcohol.

Important Caveats

• Binge drinking (≥4 drinks women/≥5 men in 2 hrs) and heavy weekly use (>7 women/>14 men) carry high risk.
• Certain people should avoid alcohol entirely: pregnancy, liver disease, certain medications, history of AUD, under 21.
• Individual tolerance varies; “moderate” for one may be harmful for another.

Always follow your clinician’s personalized advice.