A lesser-known fact is that alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer development.
Health experts from the American Institute for Cancer Research, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO) all agree that alcohol is a cancer-causing substance.
Even drinking as much as half a glass can trigger your chance of getting certain cancers. Emma Veilleux, a senior dietitian at UCLA’s Simms/Mann Center for Integrative Oncology, says that alcohol is linked to at least seven different types of cancer.
According to the WHO, the health risks from alcohol start with the very first sip. The more you drink, the more harmful it is—but drinking less is always better.
One way people try to cut back is by taking part in Dry January, when they avoid alcohol during the first month of the year.
Veilleux says this can be a great way to better understand your relationship with alcohol and feel the health benefits of drinking less. Even reducing your alcohol intake—known as “damp January”—can help.
Veilleux points out that how much and how often you drink both matter. Small changes can still reduce your risk. Alcohol use is linked to a higher risk of liver, breast, mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, and colon cancers.
It may also be connected to stomach, pancreatic, and prostate cancers. A global study in 2020 found that more than 740,000 new cancer cases each year are linked to alcohol.
Some people believe red wine is healthy because it contains resveratrol, a substance found in grapes that has antioxidant properties.
While some studies show that red wine might reduce oxidative stress for people with diabetes, Veilleux says there are better and safer ways to get resveratrol without the alcohol. The risks from the alcohol itself outweigh the small benefits from the antioxidants.
Alcohol can affect hormone levels, like estrogen, which may increase the risk of breast cancer. It can interfere with how the body gets rid of harmful chemicals or absorbs important nutrients like folate. This can make it easier for other cancer-causing substances, like tobacco smoke, to damage the body.