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There’s no question that heavy drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol misuse are bad for your health. However many of us have heard that drinking in moderation (defined as 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men) is fine and could even be good for you.

Surprising Results

But a new study published in the July 2016 edition of Addiction may put the brakes on the idea that moderate drinking is fairly risk-free. “Alcohol consumption as a cause of cancer” looked at a decade’s worth of research and found that alcohol is a likely cause of cancer in the throat, parts of the digestive system, and breast tissue. While heavy drinkers may see higher rates of these diseases, the results seem to apply to moderate and light drinkers as well. Worldwide, studies estimate that nearly 6% of deaths from cancers in these parts of the body can be attributed to alcohol.

The study didn’t find any difference between drinking wine, beer, or distilled spirits. And the risks may be even more pronounced for drinkers who like a cigarette with their martini or craft brew. An interaction between tobacco smoke and alcohol seems to increase the chance of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus.

UK Issues New Drinking Guidelines

The research cited in the article is getting noticed. In January, the UK Chief Medical Officers warned about the link between drinking and cancer, and issued new national guidelines urging drinkers to limit themselves to the equivalent of about 6 to 7 pints of beer per week. It remains to be seen if other countries will follow the UK’s example.

To Your Health

The study doesn’t claim that anyone who knocks back the occasional pint or two will get cancer, but it does suggest that drinking appears to raise the risk for some people.

And what of those health benefits we’ve all heard about? Some compounds in alcohol—particularly in red wine—have been linked to benefits like lower heart disease. However nutritionists say those same positive elements can also be found in other foods—without the alcohol or extra calories. So while there may be plenty of reasons to raise a glass, your health may not be one of them.

Sobering Up Administrator

Sobering Up Administrator

Sobering Up: A blog about drunk driving, alcohol addiction, and criminal justice, is anything but a corporate blog. Sobering Up is an opportunity for anyone interested or involved in the issues of drunk driving, alcohol-fueled crime, alcohol dependence and addiction, and the justice system to participate in the conversation.

2 Comments

  1. Why do you find it necessary to make misleading statements about moderate alcohol consumption, when the overwhelming medical research shows that drinking in moderation has no adverse health consequences?

  2. Thanks for reading and commenting, Randy! We were surprised by the results of the study as well, which is why we thought it was worth covering. There’s a link to the actual study in the article if you’d like to read it.

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