A NIGHTLY drink with dinner could be better for you than a weekend binge, according to a study.
Experts at University College London said how often you drink alcohol in a week may be less important to your health than how much you neck in one sitting.
AlamyDrinking a glass of wine with dinner most days is healthier than a weekend binge, research suggests[/caption]
The benefits of spending six days sober could be wiped out by one night on the tiles, they suggest.
Data from 313,000 Brits showed the risk of liver cirrhosis was three times higher for binge drinkers than people who spread their tipples out over the week.
Health chiefs suggest drinkers should limit themselves to six pints of beer or glasses of wine spaced over three or more days, equal to 14 units per week.
Pamela Healy, chief of the British Liver Trust, said: “This research is important because it reveals that it’s not just how much you drink overall but the way that you drink matters.
“Drinking to get drunk can have serious consequences for your liver health.
“Over the last 20 years, as alcohol has become more accessible and affordable, there has been a worrying shift in the UK’s drinking culture.”
Studies suggest that an occasional beer or glass of wine is good for your health because of antioxidants and the relaxing effects of alcohol – but too much booze is harmful.
A recent report by Drinkaware found that binge drinking is on the rise in the UK.
The latest study shows a binge of 12 or more units in a day – four pints of 5% lager, for example – raises the risk of permanent liver scarring called cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis often leads to liver disease, which kills more than 10,000 Brits per year.
The research, in the journal Nature Communications, said alcohol-related deaths have increased by a fifth since the Covid pandemic.
Dr Gautam Mehta, senior author of the study, said: “Our results suggest that it would be more damaging to drink 21 units over a couple of sessions rather than spread evenly over a week.”
The study added that drinkers with type 2 diabetes were also at higher risk of liver disease.