Given a sobering new report from the US surgeon general that argues alcohol should have an advisory label warning about increased cancer risk, more and more people may be committing to a Dry January this year.
Giving up booze has a host of proven health benefits, from improved sleep to weight loss to better mood.
And with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s office noting that alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States — and that consuming alcohol increases the risk for “at least seven types of cancer,” including breast, colon, and liver — it’s clear that abstaining has some long-term plus-sides too.
But Courtney Smith, RD, a diabetes specialist and founder of the Keys to Nutrition, told The Post that there are key steps to getting the most out of this wellness trend.
“Alcohol can increase the risk of cancer for essentially anything it touches,” Smith said. “When you drink, that risk is increased from the mouth to the rectum, your entire GI system. That covers mouth cancer, larynx cancer, throat cancer, esophageal cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer.”
It certainly makes down the hatch feel more hazardous.
According to Smith, to reap the full benefits of Dry January, people need to think about giving up alcohol on a more permanent basis — or at least cutting back.
She said there is no “safe” amount of alcohol to consume, as any amount increases the risk of developing cancer.
And while any reduction correlates to reduced risk, Smith recommends sober-curious folk look beyond the end of January for ultimate benefit.
“People should think about lowering their alcohol consumption as a permanent lifestyle change,” she said.
In September, the American Association for Cancer Research reported that 5% of all cancer cases are caused by drinking alcohol. They also found that 51% of Americans are not aware that alcohol increases cancer risk.
Smith maintains that the dangers of drinking have been purposefully suppressed in the news media.
“Cancer is a known carcinogen. I believe alcoholic beverage companies have spent a lot of money to make that a little-known fact,” she said.
There are a few ways that drinking can contribute to an increased likelihood of developing cancer.
“Alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde, a toxin that damages the DNA of cells. As a toxin, it increases oxidative stress, which increases the risk of cancer,” she added.
Alcohol can also impact our hormones, which affect how our cells grow and divide. When compromised, there’s room for cancer to develop. Moreover, drinking interferes with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients like iron, selenium, folate, and vitamins A, B1, B6, C, D, E, and K.
Further, excess alcohol intake can contribute to weight gain, and being overweight or obese has been linked with a higher risk of getting 13 types of cancer, including in the breasts, liver, ovaries, kidneys, thyroid, colon, and rectum.
Smith notes that alcohol consumption is directly and dangerously related to breast cancer.
“Alcohol increases estrogen levels, altering the breast tissue, which results in damage to the DNA. This is thought to be the reason why alcohol increases breast cancer risk in females. For women and breast cancer survivors, the recommendation is to avoid alcohol entirely or use it sparingly.”
A staggering one in six breast cancer cases can be attributed to alcohol.
Dr. Cindy Cen, a surgical oncologist at Northwell Health Cancer Institute, Lake Success, told The Post that that fact often surprises her patients.
“They’ve heard that it’s helpful for heart health. Some red wine, in the past, has been touted as good for your health — but really, those links have been cast into doubt,” she said.
Though Cen doesn’t think people need to cut out alcohol, she recommends less than one or two drinks a week: “Less is better than the more, and none is better than all the rest.”
