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Reading 3 min.
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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Medical validation:
October 4, 2024
On a daily basis, you strive to alternate drinks with and without alcohol. A sufficient step to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol? The response from Dr Gérald Kierzek, medical director of Doctissimo.
After work, many of us enjoy a “little” glass of wine. The problem ? This hedonistic pleasure is (far too often) daily. The question then arises about your consumption: is it really healthy? Or is this the beginning of an addiction? When does alcohol truly become poison? To see more clearly, we asked the question to Dr Gérald Kierzek, medical director of Doctissimo.
Alcohol and the French: a great love story?
If the time of alcohol in French school canteens is over, France remains one of the largest consumers of alcohol in the world, according to Public Health France. It ranks sixth among consuming countries within the OECD.
However, big news: daily alcohol consumption seems to have been decreasing in recent years.
“Over the past thirty years, there has been a marked decline in reported daily alcohol consumption: the share of adults declaring they drink alcohol every day has been divided by three“, confirms the organization, in a press release dated January 2024. The proportion of weekly consumers has also “reduced by about a third. Thus, the share of adults who say they do not consume alcohol each week is now 61%, compared to 37% in 2000.”
Heavy occasional drinking (at least 6 drinks in one go) also tends to decrease among young men, particularly among those under 24, while it increases significantly among women over 35.
But when does its consumption really become “problematic”? After the first or third glass?
If Public Health France recommends not consuming more than ten standard glasses per week, not consuming more than two glasses per day and having days without consumption in a week (in summary: “Alcohol is a maximum of two drinks per day and not every day“), here is what Dr Gérald Kierzek thinks.
Adopt “a conscious and balanced approach” with alcohol
From a medical point of view, the ideal is not to drink alcohol (at all).
“There is no healthy dose of alcohol. No dose is beneficial. The ideal would therefore be to opt for Zero Alcohol“, says Dr. Gérald Kierzek, who nevertheless affirms that we can try to adopt”a conscious and balanced approach“with respect to alcoholic beverages.
For this, it is imperative to have “a healthy life“and moderate consumption which does not lead to “excessive or problematic behaviors“, warns the medical director of Doctissimo.
Ask yourself the right questions about your consumption
To reduce the risks associated with alcohol consumption (alcoholic coma, aggressive behavior, cancer, death, etc.), Dr. Gérald Kierzek suggests becoming an “actor” in its consumption, starting by… asking yourself questions.
- What makes you drink? Is it to celebrate an occasion, to relax after a stressful day or out of habit? “My advice: establish times when you deliberately choose not to drink”;
- How much alcohol do you consume? “My advice: set limits. This may include the number of drinks per week or the frequency of occasions you drink” ;
- What other activities can replace drinking? This is particularly true if you drink out of boredom or habit. “My advice: replace this activity with something else (sport, outing with friends without alcohol, etc.)”;
- What situations encourage you to drink more than expected (parties or outings)? “My advice: avoid these environments or go there with a plan in mind (do not exceed a certain number of drinks)”;
- Spot the signs that your consumption could become problematic. Is it necessary to drink more to feel the same effects? Are these alcohol-related relationship problems or some form of inability to cut down? “My advice: if you notice these signs, talk to your doctor“, concludes Dr Gérald Kierzek.
Slide: 10 Signs You Have a Drinking Problem