Alcohol is a toxic chemical that can have a wide range of adverse effects on almost every part of your body.
The effects of alcohol can vary.
Sometimes you feel the effects almost instantly. Other times this can take longer and might be after you’ve had a few drinks.
Many things can affect the impact alcohol has on you, including:
This is important for helping you to know and understand how many units you have consumed.
Drinking more than the low-risk guidelines on a regular basis increases your risk of serious health conditions.
Regular or frequent drinking means having alcohol most weeks and the more you drink the higher the risks to your health.
Serious risks include:
Drinking a lot of alcohol in a single occasion, sometimes called ‘binge drinking’, is especially harmful and can increase your risk of:
Drinking too much alcohol could also contribute to social problems like:
To reduce your health risks on any single occasion:
Try the Scottish Government’s alcohol unit generator and alcohol unit calculator.
Last updated:
04 January 2023