---
title: "Alcohol Consumption and Addiction | Sutter Health"
description: "Is drinking hard alcohol more likely to contribute to addiction than wine or beer?"
url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247"
---

1.  Home /
2.  Alcohol Consumption and Addiction

# Alcohol Consumption and Addiction

* * *

Medically reviewed by

-   Toni J Brayer, M.D.

## Question

Is drinking hard alcohol more likely to contribute to addiction than wine or beer?

## Answer

The way your body metabolizes alcohol does not change if it is wine, beer or hard spirits.

Addiction depends upon the quantity of alcohol that is consumed, not the type. A 12-oz beer has the same alcohol content as 5 oz of wine or 1.5 oz liquor. Although the alcohol content is less in wine and beer, addiction can develop if a person drinks too much or too often.

## Explore related topics

AddictionAlcohol

## Related questions

View all questions

-   Health Q&A
    
    ### Alcohol Abuse vs. Alcohol Dependence
    
    I only drink a glass or two of wine a day, but I have a very hard time giving this up. Does that mean I'm an alcoholic?
    
-   Health Q&A
    
    ### Alcohol Consumption and High Cholesterol
    
    How much does alcohol contribute to high cholesterol, and can I drink while taking Lipitor?
    
-   Health Q&A
    
    ### Opioid Pain Medication Dependence vs. Addiction
    
    I've been taking vicodin for a number of years because of chronic back pain. My concern is that I've become dependent on them. Is there a difference between physical dependence and addiction?
    
-   Health Q&A
    
    ### Over-the-Counter Sleep Aids Addiction?
    
    Can you become addicted to over-the-counter sleep aids like Tylenol PM?
    
-   Health Q&A
    
    ### Pain Medication Withdrawals
    
    I've been taking Norco for post-surgery pain. I'm feeling much better now and wonder how long I should take to go off of the pills? I've been taking three a day and I'm afraid of withdrawals.
    

View all questions

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Alcohol Consumption and Addiction"}]}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247","name":"Alcohol Consumption and Addiction","description":"The way your body metabolizes alcohol does not change if it is wine, beer or hard spirits.","inLanguage":"en-US","medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"Patient"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247#breadcrumblist"},"mainEntity":{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247#question","name":"Alcohol Consumption and Addiction","text":"Is drinking hard alcohol more likely to contribute to addiction than wine or beer?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247#answer","text":"The way your body metabolizes alcohol does not change if it is wine, beer or hard spirits. Addiction depends upon the quantity of alcohol that is consumed, not the type. A 12-oz beer has the same alcohol content as 5 oz of wine or 1.5 oz liquor. Although the alcohol content is less in wine and beer, addiction can develop if a person drinks too much or too often.","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247","author":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247#expert"}}},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"reviewedBy":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247#expert"}}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-consumption-addiction-1051061247#expert","name":"Toni J Brayer","honorificSuffix":"M.D."}
```