Understanding Binge Drinking
Medically reviewed by Kashif J. Piracha, MD
Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking an amount of alcohol—beer, wine, liquor, and similar beverages—that brings your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) up to 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter (100 milliliters) of blood (0.08 g/dL). This is the amount of alcohol in your system to be considered legally impaired. For most adults, that equates to five drinks for men or four drinks for women within a two-hour period.
While drinking alcohol is normalized socially and is legal above the age of 21 in the United States, it can still have harmful impacts on the body.
In this article, learn more about binge drinking and its health effects.
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What Is Binge Drinking Exactly?
Binge drinking is excessive alcohol consumption on one occasion. The definition of binge drinking, according to the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism (NIAA), is "alcohol consumption that brings the BAC to 0.08 g/dL."
Naturally, you may wonder how much alcohol you have to drink to get to that point. The answer depends on your sex, age, body mass, metabolism, the type of alcohol, and more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines binge drinking in adults as:
Men: Consuming five or more drinks on one occasion
Women: Consuming four or more drinks on one occasion
This is sometimes called the "5+/4+ rule" (5-plus/4-plus rule) of binge drinking.
Binge drinking is also a problem among younger people, in whom it takes less alcohol to reach the same BAC as adults. Among youths (age 9 to 17), binge drinking depends on age and size but is typically considered:
Boys: Consuming three to five drinks on one occasion
Girls: Consuming three or more drinks on one occasion
Are There Different Types of Binge Drinking?
There are five distinct types of excessive drinking, which include the following:
Binge drinking: Consuming five drinks or more on one occasion for men or four drinks or more on one occasion for women
Heavy drinking: Consuming 15 or more drinks per week for men or eight or more drinks per week for women
High-intensity drinking: Consuming ten drinks or more on one occasion for men or eight drinks or more on one occasion for women
Underage drinking: Any alcohol consumption among people under the legal drinking age of 21
Drinking while pregnant: Any alcohol consumption by a person who is pregnant
Remember that even though alcohol use is normalized in our culture, no amount of alcohol is good for you. The CDC recommends that if you don't already drink, you shouldn't start for any reason. If you do drink, do so moderately.
Drinking in moderation is considered to be consuming two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less in a day for women.
Signs of Binge Drinking
The primary sign of binge drinking is consuming a large amount of alcohol and acting drunk. It is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.08. It's also the amount of alcohol associated with symptoms like trouble thinking, slurred speech, problems with walking and movement, and riskier behavior.
Most people who binge drink are not dependent on alcohol. It's common for binge drinking to occur socially—for example, at a wedding reception, house party, or a night out. This type of drinking behavior is prevalent among college students.
Help for Binge Drinking
If you or someone you know is struggling with binge drinking, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
Binge Drinking Health Effects
Unfortunately, even one night of binge drinking can be dangerous to your health. Binge drinking has both short- and long-term health consequences.
Short-Term Effects
Short-term health effects of binge drinking include:
Alcohol-related sexual or physical assault
Behaving or speaking in a way you regret
Blackouts
Increased risk of car crashes and fatalities
Increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Injury
Riskier behaviors (e.g., using other substances, driving while intoxicated, or having unprotected sex)
Unintended pregnancy or alcohol-related pregnancy issues such as miscarriage or fetal alcohol syndrome
Violence
Long-Term Effects
Binge drinking can also cause long-term health effects, including the following:
Cancers of the liver, colon, rectum, breast, mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus
Cognitive issues, such as memory loss and learning problems
Gastrointestinal problems
Increased risk of developing alcohol use disorder
Wernicke encephalopathy (alcohol dementia)
Is It Bad to Drink Three Days in a Row?
Drinking alcohol three days in a row is not good for you, but it's not necessarily considered binge drinking either. Whether it's considered binge drinking will depend on how much alcohol you consume each day and over a week or month.
Binge Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder
Binge drinking is not the same thing as alcohol use disorder. Most people who binge drink are not addicted to or dependent on alcohol. However, binge drinking can increase your risk of developing alcohol use disorder.
People with alcohol use disorder frequently binge drink, but they do this on a more regular basis than people who engage in single episodes of binge drinking.
Binge Drinking Prevention
Knowing your limits, including what number of drinks qualifies as binge drinking, is an excellent first step in preventing future binge drinking episodes.
It can also be helpful to identify your binge drinking triggers. Note whether you are more likely to drink in the following scenarios:
In certain settings
Around certain people
When you are feeling a particular emotion
Once you know your triggers, it will be easier to avoid them.
It can be challenging (but also helpful) to talk openly about your concerns about binge drinking with trusted friends and family. These people can support you when you say no to an extra drink or ask to hang out in a different environment where you're less likely to want a drink in hand.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed strategies to reduce binge drinking by 2030. These include:
Alcohol use screening
Brief intervention programs
Restricting alcohol advertising
Restricting alcohol sales
Raising alcohol prices
Related: How to Stop Drinking Alcohol: Home Remedies and Complementary Treatments
Summary
Binge drinking is a type of excessive alcohol consumption that raises the BAC to 0.08 g/dL, the point at which a person is legally impaired. This usually involves drinking five or more drinks for men or four or more for women on a single occasion lasting a few hours.
Even though binge drinking can be a single event, it could still have severe health consequences (e.g., alcohol poisoning, STIs, heart disease) in the short and long term.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
