Heavy drinking does not have any health benefits. Apart from a wide range of negative health consequences, including an increased risk of many types of cancer, it also contributes to injury, violence, increased body weight and impaired cognitive function. Alcohol-related deaths account for almost 1.5% of all deaths in England and Wales.

The latest UK guidelines say men and women shouldn't drink more than 14 units a week, spread over 3 days or more, with some alcohol free days. A standard glass of wine is 2.1 units and a pint of beer is around 2 units.

Excessive drinking can have a wide range of negative effects on your health, including an increased risk of diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, high blood pressure and stroke. Excessive drinking also can increase your risk of a variety of cancers, including mouth, larynx and oesophageal cancers, breast cancer and cancers of the liver and bowel.

Long-term heavy drinking actually changes your brain. It may shrink both the overall mass of the brain and the size of the brain's cells. These and other negative effects can reduce your mental abilities, with deficits in learning, memory, and problem-solving. Heavy long-term drinking also can harm your mood, sleep, and motor skills. Abstinence - avoiding alcohol - can partially reverse these effects.

Some studies have suggested moderate drinking may have some health benefits, but in 2016 the UK's chief medical officers said benefits for heart health of drinking alcohol were less than previously thought, and benefits were only likely to be seen in women over the age of 55, particularly those drinking around 5 units a week or fewer.

The NHS urges people who don't drink not to start. The British Medical Journal agrees, saying there’s no need for people to start drinking because of potential health benefits. Some studies have suggested moderate drinking may have some health benefits, but in 2016 the UK's chief medical officers said benefits for heart health of drinking alcohol were less than previously thought, and benefits were only likely to be seen in women over the age of 55, especially those drinking around 5 units a week or fewer. However, even moderate drinking can also be associated with increased risk of breast cancer, violence, drowning, falls, and car crashes.

Alcoholic beverages can be a significant source of extra calories. If you drink a lot of any alcoholic beverage, you can pack on the pounds quickly. For moderate drinkers, the choice of beverage can make a big difference. Most of us know that beer - with about 170 calories per pint - is high in calories, but the caloric content of many cocktails (1 pina colada = 460 calories) may be surprising. A standard 175ml glass of wine has 126 calories.

Although researchers caution that more research is needed, evidence suggests that light to moderate drinking in early adult life may help protect against dementia in later life. Older people who drink in moderation also may reduce their risk of dementia and cognitive decline.

However, these effects are associated only with light or moderate drinking and the NHS cautions heavy drinking is linked to an increased risk of dementia.

According to the Office of National Statistics, more than one third of British adults regularly drink over the safe daily alcohol limit. The NHS says the term "binge drinking" usually refers to drinking lots of alcohol in a short space of time, or drinking to get drunk. That usually means eight or more units for men and six or more for women.

Binge drinking is associated with a wide variety of health issues, including an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, sexually transmitted infections, and unintended pregnancy. It's also a risk factor for injury, violence, and suicide.

The Institute of Alcohol Studies says the UK has one of the worst drinking cultures in Europe. British teens, along with those in Ireland and Denmark, are among the heaviest drinkers in Europe.

Most binge drinkers are casual drinkers who sometimes drink to excess. The NHS says they are simply people who have regularly drunk more than the recommended levels for some years. Health problems can take years to emerge, but the risk includes liver problems, reduced fertility, high blood pressure, increased risk of certain cancers and heart attack.

Alcohol abuse can also lead to alcohol dependency, also known as alcohol addiction or alcoholism.

Drinking caffeine and alcohol together may lead to hazardous behaviour because caffeine can mask clues about a person's level of intoxication. Drinkers who mix alcohol and caffeine also are twice as likely to report being taken advantage of sexually or to ride with a driver who was under the influence of alcohol, according to a 2008 study.

Women are more vulnerable to alcohol for a variety of reasons. First, women tend to weigh less than men, so a drink delivers proportionately more alcohol. But even in the case of men and women who weigh the same, alcohol hits women harder because they metabolise it differently. Alcohol is diluted by the body’s water content, and women tend to have a lower water content. This means that alcohol is not as diluted in their bodies, and their organs are exposed to more alcohol.

Women are at greater risk of negative health consequences of drinking, including liver, brain and heart damage.

Research studies published in the International Journal of Cancer suggested that men who drink a glass of red wine a day may cut their risk of prostate cancer in half. However, according to Cancer Research UK more recent and larger studies have found that red wine does not affect a man’s risk of prostate cancer.

Also, bear in mind heavy drinking may increase the risk of other cancers.