Gaby
A multidisciplinary team of scientists from the United States has released a new federal report on the effects of alcohol on the human body. The authors of this analysis drew on dozens of studies from around the globe. This extensive work, led by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD), has demonstrated that alcohol consumption leaves a mark. Instances where alcohol does not harm health are exceptions rather than the rule.
Another noteworthy recent study is the report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). According to this report, alcohol consumption is linked to a higher risk of developing certain types of cancer.
Dr. Kevin Shield, who contributed to the report, stated in an interview with the Daily Mail: “No level of alcohol consumption is completely safe.”
Meanwhile, guidelines in the U.S. suggest that men should limit their alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day, while women should have no more than one. However, scientists are increasingly challenging the notion that even modest amounts of alcohol are harmless, asserting that we now know more about alcohol’s impact on the body.
Researchers have found that consuming just one drink per week increases the risk of developing 19 different diseases compared to complete abstinence from alcohol.
Cancer
Scientists assert that both men and women have a higher likelihood of developing several types of cancer over their lifetimes if they consume alcohol.
Among male participants who drink just one beverage per week, the risk of developing colorectal cancer is 16 percent higher, and the risk of esophageal cancer is 6 percent higher compared to those who do not drink.
However, among men who abuse alcohol, this risk skyrockets: those who consume three drinks per day or 21 drinks per week have a threefold increase in the risk of esophageal cancer. Meanwhile, women who have just one alcoholic drink per week face a 5 percent higher risk of developing cancers of the throat, esophagus, and larynx compared to non-drinkers.
Yet, as reported by scientists, when female participants consumed three drinks per day or 21 drinks per week, the risk of these types of cancer increased dramatically.
“The risk of alcohol-related cancers is significantly higher in women,” experts noted.
Researchers explained that alcohol enhances mutations in cells, increasing the likelihood of their transformation into cancerous cells. In the body, alcohol is metabolized into acetaldehyde, which, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, is a known carcinogen.
Heart Disease
About 25 years ago, studies suggested that moderate alcohol consumption could be beneficial for heart health. Since then, this conclusion has been a topic of ongoing debate within the scientific community.
The authors of the ICCPUD report analyzed data on ischemic heart disease (a common ailment affecting around 13 million Americans). They found that men who drink two alcoholic beverages per day have a risk of developing the disease that is roughly the same as non-drinkers. The same applies to women who consume one drink per day.
Researchers suggested that factors such as obesity, poor diet, and lack of physical activity are more likely to influence the risk of developing ischemic heart disease than alcohol consumption.
The ICCPUD report also states that individuals who drink little or moderately have a lower risk of stroke. This may be related to the fact that alcohol thins the blood, reducing the likelihood of a clot reaching the brain.
Researchers found that men and women who consume only one drink per week have a 10 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those who do not drink.
However, consuming two drinks per day or 14 drinks per week increases the risk of stroke by 8 percent for both genders.
Injuries
Researchers have confirmed that drinking alcohol increases the likelihood of both unintentional and intentional injuries. The ICCPUD report indicates that among men who consume one drink per week, the risk of unintentional injuries is 4 percent higher, and the risk of traffic accidents is 3 percent higher compared to non-drinkers.
However, among participants who drank three alcoholic beverages per day or 21 drinks per week, the risk of unintentional injuries tripled.
Among women who consumed only one drink per week, no significant increase in the risk of injuries or traffic accidents was found. However, for women who drank three drinks per day or 21 drinks per week, the risk of injury was 117 percent higher.
