As we know, alcohol can have a variety of negative consequences involved with overconsumption. One of the potential consequences is an increased risk of developing cancer. While cancer can arise from a variety of factors, there seems to be a strong correlation between alcoholism and certain types of cancer.
Effects of Alcohol
Cancer can arise in many different areas of the body. While not all forms of cancer are caused by alcohol consumption, the likelihood of developing the following cancers may be increased by excessive alcohol consumption.
- Mouth: Alcohol continuously passing through the mouth can increase the risk of mouth cancer.
- Throat: People may be more likely to develop throat cancer when the consumption of alcohol is combined with the act of smoking.
- Esophagus: People may be more likely to develop esophagus cancer when consumption of alcohol is combined with the act of smoking. Squamous cell carcinoma is common with alcohol consumption.
- Larynx: People may be more likely to develop larynx cancer when consumption of alcohol is combined with the act of smoking. Cancer in the larynx affects the voice box.
- Liver: As our liver works to filter out toxins within our body, excessive alcohol consumption can cause the liver to feel overworked, which can increase the risk of larynx cancer.
- Breast: Alcohol consumption increases the release of hormones, which may cause a disruption in cell replication in the breasts and increase the risk of breast cancer.
- Colon: Since the colon can be affected by increased hormones as well, the risk of colon cancer may increase with alcohol consumption.
- Stomach: As alcohol moves through the digestive system, it can potentially cause damage to the stomach and other digestive organs along the way and increase the risk of stomach cancer.
Why Is Alcohol Harmful to the Body?
Alcohol has many effects on your body’s functioning that may lead to an increased chance of developing cancer. Why does it produce these harmful effects? It is because alcoholic beverages contain ethanol. When the body tries to break down ethanol, it produces a chemical called acetaldehyde. This chemical can alter the cells in our body and lead to a disruption in their replication process, which is how cancer begins. Also, there are a variety of other chemicals that can be incorporated into alcohol through the fermentation process that can act as toxins to the body.
Along with presenting these toxic chemicals into your body, alcohol also can hinder the body’s ability to break down the nutrients that it needs. By slowing its digestive process, alcohol may prevent the body from receiving the amount of nutrients we need from our food. This can lower our immunity and hinder our overall functioning, increasing the potential for cancerous cells to take over.
Cancer Prevention
Although excessive alcohol consumption may put you at risk for developing cancer in the future, drinking small amounts of red wine may help prevent cancer. Red wine contains polyphenols which have been shown to act as antioxidants and reduce the number of free radicals within our body. These properties can filter out chemicals that may lead to cancer.
Free radicals are chemicals that can potentially disrupt the process of cell replication. These molecules have an uneven number of electrons, causing the cell to have a short lifespan. If these cells begin to replicate, they may cause cancer. Eliminating the number of free radicles within our body can help prevent cancer from developing. Free radicals can arise from a variety of different things or even certain foods we consume. A few free radicals are not dangerous; however, an excessive amount can increase the chances of developing cancer.
While a small amount of red wine can be beneficial to those who do not have a history of addiction, it is not recommended for people who are under the legal drinking age, people who are in recovery, or people who are at risk of developing substance use disorder. Consuming other sources of antioxidants can have excellent effects on preventing cancer without the risk of addiction or relapse for those who are concerned about alcoholism.
Be Aware of Your Consumption
Following the recommendations on alcohol consumption and ensuring you are not excessively consuming alcohol is one of the best ways to avoid developing these types of cancer. By drinking light to moderate amounts, you can decrease your chances of developing cancer from alcohol consumption.
Besides increasing the potential of developing cancer, abusing alcohol can have a drastic effect on many other health outcomes. There are a variety of diseases and conditions that are more likely to occur when you are consuming an excessive amount of alcohol. Being aware of these potential effects can help motivate you to stay sober.
There is still a large number of factors that are unknown regarding the diagnosis and treatment for cancer. Using the information we currently have, we see that alcohol use seems to correlate with the likelihood of developing cancer; however, the link is not fully confirmed. Ensuring you are drinking safely and refraining from addictive behaviors can help you prevent the potential of developing cancer in the future.
There are many aspects of the onset and treatment of cancer that are not fully discovered. Reviewing the research we currently have, you can see that excessive alcohol use does seem to correlate with an increased risk of developing cancer. Mouth, throat, esophageal, larynx, liver, breast, colon, and stomach cancers often correlate with alcohol abuse. Understanding the risk factors from excessive drinking can help motivate you to stay sober or stay on track with your recovery. Remember that as your body works to filter out the different toxins within alcohol, you are slowly weakening your immunity. A small amount of red wine may benefit your health if you are not at risk of addiction; however, you can receive the same positive health benefits from consuming other sources of antioxidants. To learn more about the dangers of alcohol and its effects on cancer, contact Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.