Drinking Wine Everyday: Effects of Too Much Wine
Author: Thomas Roth
Last Updated: 1/09/2023
Wine is an alcoholic beverage that’s made from fermented grapes. Sugar in the grapes is consumed by yeast and the byproduct is ethanol, carbon dioxide, and heat. The result of the fermentation process is red or white wine. In fact, there is a lot of variation with wine because of how many unique types of grapes there are.
While drinking alcohol everyday isn’t recommended, studies have shown that there are small benefits to drinking small amounts of wine. Drinking wine can lower cholesterol, improve memory, boost heart health, and regulate blood sugar. Plus, drinking wine can also decrease your risk for certain types of cancers (in small amounts and by a small amount). Therefore, in moderation wine is a good choice when it comes to types of alcohol.
Topics On This Page [hide]
What are Healthy Amounts of Wine to Drink?
Several studies from the CDC have found that drinking one glass of wine per day for women and two glasses per day for men is beneficial. Research has shown that the optimal amount to consume is 150 milliliters (ml) for women and 300 ml for men. While wine can be consumed daily the benefits and drawbacks are not fully understood. More research is needed in this area.
That said, drinking one glass of wine daily shouldn’t negatively affect your health. In fact, it can help you with cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar regulation, and more. If you want to get the health benefits from consuming one glass of wine each day but don’t want to develop alcoholism, we recommend taking a 2-3 day break from wine each week.
What are the Consequences of Drinking Too Much Wine?
Drinking wine in small amounts is safe (even healthy) but drinking too much wine can cause several health issues. These health issues typically develop over time and are directly correlated to how much wine is consumed.
Some common health consequences of drinking too much wine are found below.
- Fatty liver disease
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Increased risk of death and disease
The consequences of drinking too much wine differ depending on how much wine is consumed.
1. Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Alcoholic fatty liver disease occurs when there is a build-up of fat in the liver. Fatty liver disease is caused by conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, and alcohol abuse disorder (AUD). These conditions, when left untreated, can cause fat to build up within the liver.
Studies show that drinking an excessive amount of wine each day for many years can cause fatty liver disease to develop. The condition can’t be reversed but it can be treated by consuming less alcohol and living a healthier lifestyle. Many changes to diet and fitness need to be made.
2. Liver Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis of the liver (hepatic cirrhosis) occurs when the liver is damaged. The damage forces the liver to create scar tissue to heal but if there is too much scar tissue the liver can’t function properly. When it can no longer function properly people will experience liver failure, gastrointestinal problems (bleeding, discomfort), and even jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes).
Studies from the CDC have revealed that frequent wine consumption above the daily recommended limit can lead to liver damage, which can progress to cirrhosis of the liver. While the condition can’t be cured, further damage can be prevented by living a healthier lifestyle. Ultimately, alcohol-related liver damage is not uncommon when drinking too much wine.
3. Continuous Weight Gain
Drinking large amounts of wine will cause weight gain. There are several hundred calories in a bottle of wine, so consuming a bottle every day or week can easily put someone in a caloric surplus. Being in a caloric surplus causes weight gain, sometimes rapidly. Drinking wine every day can also cause people to consume more calories because of lowered inhibitions.
While drinking wine can cause weight gain, it’s one of the easier issues to prevent and treat. Weight gain can be treated by staying in a caloric deficit, while gaining weight from drinking wine can be managed by drinking less wine. That said, you could also decrease calories from food to increase your calories in wine without gaining weight.
How Many Calories are in a Bottle of Wine?
The average calories in a bottle of wine vary based on the type of wine, the grapes used, and the alcohol content by volume. That said, the average bottle of red wine contains about 650-750 calories. The average bottle of white wine has less calories and a range between 500-700 calories.
We’re also considering the average bottle of wine to be 750 ml, so numbers may vary if the average bottle of wine in your region is larger or smaller. Still, the calories can increase or decrease based on the other factors mentioned above too.
4. Increased Risk of Depression
Drinking Wine frequently can lead to depression and increases your risk of developing depression. While wine is safe in small amounts, daily consumption over the recommended limit can cause changes in your brain chemistry. Alcohol impacts serotonin receptors in the brain and acts as a depressant. The changes in serotonin can cause someone to become dependent on the substance, which leads to withdrawal and depression when wine isn’t consumed.
Avoiding and preventing depression caused by too much wine consumption is both simple and tricky. To do so, an individual must limit their daily wine consumption to safe levels. For men, this is two glasses of wine and for women, this is one glass of wine. Consuming any more wine daily leads to increased risks of depression.
5. Increased Risk of Death and Disease
Drinking too much wine every day can lead to issues with your immune system and increase your chances of getting sick. In fact, drinking wine every day can also increase your risk of death if you drink too much of it. Alcohol is a toxic substance, so your body has to spend a lot of energy removing it from your body. When this happens, the immune system is neglected and diseases become more common and severe.
Drinking too much wine every day can also lead to an increased risk of death due to alcohol-related health conditions. People who abuse alcohol have a higher risk of developing fatal cancers, liver conditions, and pancreas disease. To prevent these issues from happening it’s important to monitor alcohol consumption and reduce it.
Is a Bottle of Wine a Day Too Much?
Yes, drinking a bottle of wine a day is too much. While drinking wine in moderation has proven to be beneficial, exceeding the daily recommended intake can lead to health consequences and loss of life. Instead of drinking a bottle of wine per day, men should limit their consumption to 2 glasses of wine and women should limit their consumption to 1 glass of wine. These limitations can help keep someone safe from the long-term consequences of consuming alcohol.
Drinking alcohol every day for many weeks, months, and years also makes it harder to stop drinking alcohol. This leads to alcohol dependence and AUD. Therefore, we recommend against drinking a bottle of wine every day.
Is It Okay to Drink Wine Every day?
Yes, it is okay to drink wine every day. While it’s safe to drink wine every day it’s not safe to drink a lot of wine every day. Men should limit their intake to 2 glasses of wine and women should limit their intake to 1 glass of wine. Staying within these limits can help prevent some of the consequences that come with drinking wine every day.
Studies on the safety of wine consumption vary. Some studies suggest that it can help with blood pressure, blood sugar, boost mood, increase brain function, and more. Other studies suggest that drinking wine every day can lead to alcoholism, fatty liver disease, and increase the risk of cancer. For these reasons, we recommend against drinking wine every day. Instead, give yourself a few days off from drinking wine each week.
Who is at Risk for Drinking Too Much Wine?
Some people are more likely to drink too much wine than others. People who come from a family with a history of alcohol abuse have the highest risk of drinking too much wine. There are also genetic and hereditary factors that influence the risk of becoming an alcoholic and statistics show that genetic factors account for nearly 50% of alcoholism cases.
People who have a gene that impacts the movement of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in brain synapses have a higher risk of developing alcoholism when consuming too much wine. The alarming fact is that alcoholism can be a hereditary condition and almost half of all alcoholics have the gene responsible.
How Much Wine is Too Much for Driving?
If an individual consumes too much wine they shouldn’t operate a vehicle. Too much wine for driving is any amount that brings your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above the legal limit in your state. While some states have zero tolerance laws, the legal limit is typically .08% BAC.
To reach this level, women have to consume more than 3 glasses or wine in an hour and men need to consume more than 4 glasses of wine in an hour. These numbers account for a standard glass of wine, which is a 5-ounce glass with 12% ABV.
How Much Wine Can Be Drinked per day?
Drinking wine in moderation has proven to be beneficial for an individual’s health. That said, drinking more than 2 glasses of wine per day for men and more than 1 glass per day for women is not healthy. Drinking more than the recommended amount can lead to several negative health consequences. The safe amount of wine per day is about one or two glasses and people should take a break from drinking every week.
Is A Bottle of Wine Too Much?
No, a bottle of wine is not too much if you only drink the entire bottle on a few occasions. Drinking a whole bottle of wine becomes too much when you consume a bottle of wine per day. A bottle of wine is about 750 ml of wine and drinking that amount each day can cause liver damage, weight gain, jaundice, liver failure, depression, and other health conditions.
Is it Okay to Drink 3 Glasses of Wine during the Night?
Yes, it’s okay to drink 3 glasses of wine during the night. While it’s safe to drink 3 glasses of wine at night, it’s not safe to drink that amount everyday. Consuming 3 glasses of wine everyday leads to increases in health risks like fatty liver disease and depression.
To be safe, we recommend limiting daily wine consumption to less than 3 glasses of wine for men and less than 1 glass of wine for women.
Can Too Much Wine Damage the Liver?
Yes, too much wine can damage the liver. Drinking too much wine can lead to conditions like fatty liver disease, cirrhosis of the liver, and even liver failure. Drinking an excessive amount of alcohol (more than 2 glasses of wine per day for men and more than 1 glass of wine per day for women) increases the risk of developing liver problems. While liver damage is not reversible lifestyle changes like a better diet and less alcohol consumption can prevent further damage from occurring.
As someone grows older the chances of developing these conditions increases. To prevent liver damage we recommend cutting back on alcohol at an earlier age.
How Much Wine is Too Much per Week?
According to dietary guidelines (for Americans), moderate consumption of alcohol is 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men. These numbers equate to roughly 2 glasses of wine for men and 1 glass of wine for women. Based on these standards, men shouldn’t drink more than a bottle and a half of wine each week and women should attempt to consume less than one bottle of wine per week.
How Much Wine is Too Much While Pregnant?
Any amount of wine consumption while pregnant is too much. While a single glass of wine won’t harm you or your child, alcohol should never be consumed during a pregnancy. The consumption of alcohol during a pregnancy increases the risk of a miscarriage and other health consequences for the baby.
One consequence is fetal alcohol syndrome, which causes birth defects that are irreversible. These defects can make life challenging for the child and vary in severity based on how much alcohol was consumed. Therefore, you should never consume wine while pregnant.
How Much Wine is Too Much per Month?
According to the FDA and other agencies within the United States people shouldn’t exceed more than 7-8 glasses of wine every week. These numbers equate to roughly one bottle of wine per week. Given that number, drinking more than 4 bottles of wine per month is too much. If that much wine is consumed per month people can become dependent on alcohol and develop alcoholism.
Age, weight, and gender also play a role in how much someone can drink. For example, men can drink more than women (on average). Moreover, someone who has more body fat can consume more alcohol without experiencing the same effects. That said, people who are overweight have a higher risk of developing other health conditions. For younger adults, the body is more forgiving with alcohol at younger ages. Older people (over 65) should drink even less wine per month because alcohol tolerance decreases with age.
How Many Glasses of Wine is Too Much During Work Days?
The amount of wine someone wants to drink during a work day is completely up to the individual. That said, people shouldn’t drink more than 2 glasses of wine (for men) or 1 glass of wine (for women). Consuming too much wine during a work day can reduce performance and make it harder to get rest for the next day.
If you’re considering drinking wine during work days use your best judgement and focus on having less instead of more.
How Does the Wine Type Affect the Wine Consumption Effects?
The type of wine affects the wine consumption effects because white and red wines have different alcohol levels. Red Wine is typically higher in alcohol content than white wine but white wine is typically easier to over consume. Both types of wine are also made from different grapes. The types of grapes used can also influence the effect of frequent consumption.
1. How Much Red Wine is Too Much?
Too much red wine is more than one glass per day for women and two glasses per day for men, according to United States dietary guidelines. While drinking wine in moderation is okay, having more than one or two glasses per day of Massesto is excessive. Other red wines like Screaming Eagle also shouldn’t be consumed excessively.
2. How Much White Wine is Too Much?
Too much white wine is more than one glass for women and more than two glasses for men. While white wine brands like Barefoot are lighter in alcohol content than red wines, the same rule applies according to the United States dietary guidelines. It’s also important to note that this applies to all brands like Pinot Grigio.