Statistics can be misleading, and new research demonstrates that what many consider moderate drinking may actually be undermining their physical and psychological health.

The study, out of The University of Texas at Austin and published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, looks into the practice of tracking drinking over the course of a week. The National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism identifies weekly moderate drinking as seven drinks or less for women and 14 drinks or less for men. This level of drinking is believed to be relatively safe.

For many people who only drink alcohol on the weekends, these criteria may easily be met, however, if those drinkers consume enough over that two-day period, they could still be putting their health in jeopardy.

NIAAA defines binge drinking as four drinks for a woman or five for a man in a two-hour period. Binge drinking has its own set of risks, including poor judgment, falls, and car accidents. This higher concentration of alcohol is damaging to the microvasculature, the very small blood vessels, across the body, as well as increases the baseline amounts of the stress hormone cortisol in systemic circulation.

The bottom line is that two people minding the weekly NIAAA guidelines may have significantly different risks for alcohol-related problems based on their pattern of consumption. Binge drinking of alcohol can be five times more risky.

For adolescents and young adults, alcohol problems are primarily due to binge drinking, but binge drinking is also very common in older adults. The researchers at The University of Texas found many moderate drinkers who binge drink on the weekends are not college-aged, but instead age 30 and older. This trend is increasing, especially among women and adults over 65.

Binge drinking is dangerous no matter the age. While older binge drinkers are more likely to have problems with more severe coordination-related falls and accidents, sleep problems, and medication interactions,

Younger binge drinkers have greater risk of:

• Alcohol poisoning.

• Blackouts.

• Injury.

• Involvement in car crashes, and greater chances of riding with an intoxicated driver.

• Alcohol-related physical and sexual assault, and increased risk of sexually-transmitted infection.

• Problems at school or work.

• Using other substances such as marijuana and cocaine.

Emerging research in young adults also suggests that binge drinking is associated with neurocognitive deficits in memory, visuospatial skills, and learning, all changes that can be long lasting.

Because of the potential dangers of binge drinking, it’s important to know the risks, and be aware of how much and how fast you are drinking. Healthcare providers can also dig deeper into patients’ self-reporting drinking behaviors. What adds up to mild to moderate alcohol consumption on a weekly basis may still represent potentially dangerous episodes of intoxication.

Current evidence suggests that brief behavioral counseling interventions are not enough for treating alcohol dependence and abuse. Look for a health network that provides the full continuum of both mental health and substance abuse recovery services, personalized to the needs of every client and integrated with their primary care health needs. Visit hhcbehavioralhealth.org for information.

Contributors to this article include Belinda Nwagbara, M.D., Shannon Maher, M.D., Krystalyn Bates, D.O., M.P.H., and J.Craig Allen, M.D.