Is Alcohol Putting You at Risk? The Alcohol-Cancer Connection

Unwinding with a glass of wine after a long day, celebrating with friends over beers, or enjoying a cocktail at a social gathering. Drinking is a common part of culture worldwide. And for many, it’s just a casual habit. 

What if that seemingly harmless drink did more harm than we realize? Many of us know that alcohol damages the liver. But there are a lot more people who are unaware that drinking alcohol increases cancer risk, and it’s time to take a deeper look.

Alcohol and Its Unspoken Risk

Alcohol, or ethanol, is a chemical substance produced by the fermentation of sugars and starches. It’s commonly found in beverages like beer, wine, and liquor. 

In the United States, a standard alcoholic drink has 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. That’s roughly 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

Drinking alcohol is so common in our social lives that we rarely stop to think about the long-term risks of alcohol consumption. In 2019 to 2020, 72% of U.S. adults consumed one or more drinks per week. What's alarming is that less than half of U.S. adults are aware of the relationship between drinking and cancer risk. 

So, the U.S. Surgeon General recently issued an advisory that should serve as a wake-up call. It highlights alcohol use as a leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity. 

Classified as a Group 1 carcinogen alongside tobacco, asbestos, and formaldehyde, alcohol contributes to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and about 20,000 cancer deaths each year. This means there’s enough evidence to conclude that it can cause cancer in humans, and that there is no safe amount.

What Are Alcohol-Related Cancers?

When we talk about drinking alcohol and cancer risk, we're not just throwing around scary terms. Consuming alcohol increases the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer:

• Mouth
• Throat
• Voice box
• Esophagus
• Breast (in women)
• Liver
• Colon and rectum

But how exactly does alcohol cause cancer? There are four main ways:

1. Alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde, which damages DNA. This causes an increased risk of cancer.
2. Alcohol generates reactive oxygen species. It increases inflammation, damages DNA, proteins, and lipids through oxidation. 
3. Alcohol alters hormone levels, like estrogen. This increases breast cancer risk.
4. Alcohol leads to greater absorption of other carcinogens, like those in tobacco smoke. It gets dissolved in alcohol, making it easier for carcinogens to be absorbed by the body. This adds risk for mouth and throat cancers.

The Science Behind the Risk

With all that information, alcohol’s cancer risk is much clearer. The overall amount of alcohol consumed consistently over time is a big factor. The risk of getting cancer from alcohol increases as your consumption increases. For breast, mouth, and throat cancers, the risk may start to increase around one or fewer drinks per day. 

A 2020 study with over 226,000 participants aged 45 and older found that women who drink more alcohol are at a higher risk of developing alcohol related cancers. Women who drink two a day have a 21.8% chance of developing these cancers in their lifetime, versus 16.5% for those who drink less than one drink a week.

Similarly, breast cancer risk also rises with increased alcohol intake. Men who drink more alcohol also have a higher risk.

How to Reduce Your Risk?

So, are there any ways for you to reduce your risk of getting alcohol-related cancer? Long-term quitting or reducing alcohol intake puts you at a lower risk of developing some alcohol related cancers. Here are some steps towards healthier habits:

1. Limit Your Drinking

Instead of saying you'll drink less, be clear on how much less. Set a goal, like only two drinks on weekends or skipping alcohol on weeknights. Keep track of your intake with a journal or app.

2. Explore Other Drinks

There are different alternatives to alcohol. Try sparkling water with fruit or non-alcoholic beers and wines. Mocktail recipes are also worth experimenting with.

3. Seek Support

Talk to your doctor or therapist about your drinking habits for support. Join a support group to share your experiences. Don’t forget to lean on friends and family for encouragement.

4. Improve Your Diet and Exercise Routine

A healthy diet and regular exercise are a good start to enhancing your well-being. It also helps you resist the urge to drink. Focus on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains. Walking, yoga, or team sports can help you cope with alcohol's effects.

5. Understand How Your Body Heals

Remember that your body is quick to recover. When you reduce or completely cut alcohol, your body begins to repair itself, so your liver function improves and inflammation lessens.

It may take time to see noticeable changes, but be patient with the process. Focus on the positive changes you are experiencing, and use those as motivation.

Rethinking Your Drinking Habits

Drinking alcohol carries a health risk—a fact we should consider before each drink of beer or shot of hard liquor. While the link between alcohol and cancer is strong, there are other things, like family history and your overall health, that also play a role. Still, reducing or eliminating alcohol can significantly decrease potential cancer risks.

To help you improve your health, Mito Health provides comprehensive blood tests. These panels give you important information about your health, including your Aspartate Transaminase (AST) levels, Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GTT), and other liver biomarkers. This insight lets you see where you stand and track your progress as you make healthy changes.