While moderate consumption of alcohol has been found to benefit health, exceeding recommended alcohol limits can have significant long-term implications.
According to national statistics, the alcohol¬-related death rate in the UK continued to increase in 2006, rising from 12.9 deaths per 100,000 people in 2005 to 13.4 in 2006.
Frank Soodeen, head of parliamentary affairs at Alcohol Concern, warned: "Once you start going over the sensible limits the risks are pretty dreadful."
Alcohol Concern reported that there were 6,570 deaths directly linked to alcohol in England and Wales in 2005, with liver disease being the most common cause of alcohol-related death.
A recent survey from the Karolinska Institute found that regularly drinking small amounts of alcohol could help reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
The report found that the risk was up to 50 per cent lower for those who drank the equivalent of five glasses of wine a week compared to those who consumed less amounts.
The Department of Health recommends no more than two to three units of alcohol a day for women and a maximum of three to four for men.
