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Scientists have known that alcohol has been promoting cancer for several decades. The World Health Organization first classified alcohol consumption as causing cancer in 1987. Experts say that all types of alcoholic beverages can increase the risk of cancer because they all contain cancer. ethanol, which can cause DNA damage, oxidative stress, and cell proliferation. Ethanol is metabolized by the body to another carcinogen, acetaldehyde, and it can influence breast cancer risk by increasing estrogen levels.
But surveys continue to show that most people are unaware of the risks. When the American Institute for Cancer Research surveyed Americans two years ago to assess their awareness of different cancer risk factors, the results were striking: less than half were aware of the alcohol-cancer link.
Experts say one of the reasons for the lack of awareness is the popular idea that moderate alcohol consumption, especially red wine, is good for heart health, which has stifled public health messages regarding the impact of alcohol on cancer risk. But while moderate drinking has long had a health halo, recent studies suggest that it may not be beneficial at all. The American Heart Association states that “No research has established a causal link between alcohol consumption and better heart health” and that people who drink red wine may have higher rates of heart disease. low for other reasons, such as healthier lifestyles, better nutrition, or higher socioeconomic status.
Other analyzes have shown that moderate alcohol consumption may appear to be beneficial in large population studies, as the “non-drinkers” used for comparison often include people who do not drink because they have serious health problems or because they are former heavy drinkers. When studies take these factors into account, the apparent cardiovascular benefits of moderate alcohol consumption disappear.
For this reason, the federal government’s dietary guidelines for Americans, which once advocated moderate alcohol consumption for heart health, no longer do. A group of scientists who helped shape the latest edition of the guidelines called on the government to lower the recommended daily limit for alcohol consumption to one drink per day for men and women, citing evidence that levels higher alcohol consumption increases the risk. premature death.
But the alcohol industry lobbied fiercely against the change, and the latest guidelines, released in December, did not include the drink reduction recommendation. The guidelines, however, for the first time included strong language about alcohol and cancer, warning that even moderate alcohol consumption can “increase the overall risk of death from various causes, such as several types of cancer and certain forms of cardiovascular disease ”.
“For some types of cancer,” say the new guidelines, “the risk increases even at low levels of alcohol consumption (less than one drink per day). Caution is therefore recommended. “
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