Men are more likely than women to drink excessively. Excessive drinking is associated with significant increases in short-term risks to health and safety, and the risk increases as the amount of drinking increases. Men are also more likely than women to take other risks (e.g., drive fast or without a safety belt), when combined with excessive drinking, further increasing their risk of injury or death.1-4

Excessive Drinking Infographic

Drinking levels among men

Approximately 58% of adult men report drinking alcohol in the last 30 days. 5

Approximately 23% of adult men report binge drinking 5 times a month, averaging 8 drinks per binge. 6

Men are almost two times more likely to binge drink than women. 6

Most (90%) people who binge drink are not alcoholics or alcohol dependent. 7

About 4.5% of men and 2.5% of women met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence in the past year.7

Injuries and deaths as a result of excessive alcohol use

Men consistently have higher rates of alcohol-related deaths and hospitalizations than women. 1,8,9

Among drivers in fatal motor-vehicle traffic crashes, men are almost twice as likely as women to have been intoxicated (i.e., a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or greater). 10

Excessive alcohol consumption increases aggression and, as a result, can increase the risk of physically assaulting another person. 11

Men are more likely than women to commit suicide, and more likely to have been drinking prior to committing suicide.12-14

Reproductive Health and Sexual Function

Excessive alcohol use can interfere with testicular function and male hormone production resulting in impotence, infertility, and reduction of male secondary sex characteristics such as facial and chest hair.15,16

Excessive alcohol use is commonly involved in sexual assault.17 Also, alcohol use by men increases the chances of engaging in risky sexual activity including unprotected sex, sex with multiple partners, or sex with a partner at risk for sexually transmitted diseases.4

Cancer

Alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon in men.18-20

There are a number of health conditions affected by excessive alcohol use that affect both men and women. Some additional conditions are covered in the Alcohol Use and Health Fact Sheet.