Alcohol Units
What are units?
We measure the content of alcohol in units. One UK unit is 10ml or 8grams of pure alcohol (which is also known as Ethanol).
Why do I need to know about units?
It’s important to know about units as men and women have different limits as to how many units they should drink per week. Drinking too much can cause damage to the liver, brain, stomach, memory, personal relationships and could also lead to cancer so it’s very important that you keep track of your alcohol intake and know your limits.
Why is their a difference between what men and women can drink?
The limits are lower for women than for men as women have a higher fat content in their bodies than men. A man’s body has a higher water content, therefore it is easier for a man to dilute alcohol in the body making it more difficult to get drunk as quickly and on as little as a woman.
How can I work out how many units are in my drink?
Info Scotland has a great alcohol time machine - click the image on the right to go to their site and calculate how many units are in the alcohol you might be planning to drink…its fun and easy to use!