How many drinks a week is too many?

It is official. I drink too much. Well, that is according to one of the latest studies from the University of Oxford that answers the age-old question of, “how many drinks is really too many?”

Apparently, anything more than five large glasses of wine a week will start to affect our long-term ageing process. That is one glass every night after a long, hard day’s work. If I am completely honest, I will often do that. Plus the glass or two that I will indulge in on the weekend as well. No harm done, right?

Wrong. The study states drinking more than 17 units — or five big glasses of wine — a week could take its toll on our DNA. It won’t give you a hangover but it could mean us more-than-fivedays-a-week-drinkers are going to live shorter lives, and possibly get Alzheimer’s or cardiovascular disease.

This month, I agreed to abstain from alcohol as part of Dry July.

It’s a timely moment to reflect on my drinking habits.

Oxford academics analysed data from almost half a million people enrolled in the UK Biobank looking for tell-tale genetic markers showing how much alcohol a person drinks.

They found booze beyond the 17-unit limit would unleash an attack on our chromosomes called telomeres. A person who drinks 10 big glasses a week is biologically three years older than someone who drinks three. But if we stick to just one glass on weeknights we won’t look older than we are supposed to — in theory anyway.

I have taken the study as a good guideline to know my limits and as long as I savour my single sauvignon across five week-nights, I am not doing any damage.

But it has begged the question; why do we drink?

A myriad of motives have been examined. Some people drink to find that bit of liquid courage in social situations. Others to escape reality for just a moment, or to celebrate a special occasion, or because of peer pressure. Some may simply like the taste. But there are also plenty of reasons why some may want to stop drinking alcohol; no more hangovers, better sleep patterns, losing weight or having more energy.

Since Dry July began in 2012, tens of thousands of Kiwis signed up to go alcohol-free for a month.

I have been one of them this

July and my challenge is almost over. I will celebrate on August 1 with a glass of wine. I will likely do the same on the five nights following. I confess that sometimes I may have one or two more glasses over this newly-researched 17-unit limit across a seven-day week. At least I am aware of the impact it could be having on my DNA.