Foreword: Drinking alcohol is a Xi of many people's lives, some people think that drinking in moderation is good for health, and some people occasionally drink heavily to release stress. But, you know what?Drinking alcohol not only damages the liver but also increases the risk of cancer. Also, people who drink a lot of alcohol may be more likely to develop cancer than people who drink a lot of alcohol occasionally. What's going on?This article will uncover the relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer, so that you can understand the dangers of drinking alcohol so that you can make healthier choices.
1. Why does alcohol cause cancer?Drinking alcohol causes cancer, and this is already the consensus of the scientific community. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies alcohol as a Class 1 carcinogen, that is, substances that are undoubtedly carcinogenic to humans. Alcohol can cause genetic mutations in cells through a variety of pathways, which can trigger the development and progression of cancer. Specifically, there are several mechanisms:
Alcohol metabolism. Alcohol is metabolized in the body mainly by the liver, first by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to acetaldehyde, and then by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) to acetic acid. Acetaldehyde is a highly reactive substance that reacts with DNA, RNA, and proteins to form acetaldehyde adenine (AA), a carcinogenic DNA adduct that can cause DNA breakage, mismatch, and cross-linking, interfering with DNA replication and repair, and causing genetic mutations.
Alcohol and other carcinogens. Alcohol can increase the effects of other carcinogens such as tobacco, aflatoxin, nitrosamines, etc., which can work synergistically with alcohol to cause greater DNA damage and increase the risk of cancer.
2. Why is it more likely to get cancer when you drink a little alcohol than if you drink a lot of alcohol occasionally?It is an indisputable fact that drinking alcohol causes cancer. However, the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption, as well as the pattern and manner of drinking, can affect how harmful alcohol is to the human body. In general, the more alcohol you drink, the higher your risk of cancer, which is a dose-effect relationship. However, some people believe that as long as they don't drink too much, drink a little once in a while, or drink a little every day, there won't be much of a problem. This kind of thinking is wrong and even dangerous. This is because people who drink a lot of alcohol may be more likely to develop cancer than people who drink a lot of alcohol occasionally. Why is that?
The cumulative effect of alcohol is more pronounced in people who often drink small alcohol. It takes a certain amount of time for alcohol to be metabolized in the body, and if you drink alcohol every day, then alcohol will continue to accumulate in the body, resulting in an increase in the concentration of harmful substances such as acetaldehyde, causing continuous damage to cells and increasing the possibility of cancer. For those who occasionally drink heavy alcohol, although the amount of alcohol ingested at one time is larger, after the alcohol metabolism is completed, the alcohol level in the body will be reduced, the cell damage will also be reduced, and the risk of cancer will be relatively reduced.
People who drink a lot of alcohol are less sensitive to alcohol. Alcohol sensitivity refers to the degree to which the body reacts to alcohol, including the rate at which alcohol is metabolized and how well it tolerates alcohol. Alcohol sensitivity is affected by factors such as genetics, gender, age, weight, diet, etc., and different people have different sensitivities to alcohol. Generally speaking, people with high alcohol sensitivity will experience uncomfortable symptoms such as flushing, dizziness, and heart palpitations after drinking, because their alcohol metabolism is faster, acetaldehyde levels are higher, and cell damage is also greater.
People who drink a lot of alcohol have a stronger interfering effect of alcohol. Alcohol can interfere with the normal physiological functions of the human body and affect the body's metabolism, digestion, absorption, excretion and other processes, thereby reducing the body's resistance and increasing the risk of cancer. For example, alcohol can reduce the liver's ability to detoxify, allowing other carcinogens to accumulate in the body, causing liver cell damage and cancer. Alcohol can also reduce the motility of the gastrointestinal tract, prolong the stay of food in the gastrointestinal tract, increase the secretion of gastric acid, cause inflammation and ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract, and promote the occurrence of gastric cancer and esophageal cancer.
3. How to reduce the harm of drinking alcohol and prevent the occurrence of cancer?It is an indisputable fact that drinking alcohol causes cancer. However, this does not mean that we should quit drinking alcohol completely, because drinking alcohol in moderation also has certain benefits, such as reducing stress, enhancing friendships, and preventing coronary heart disease. So, how can we reduce the harm of drinking alcohol and prevent the occurrence of cancer?Here are some things we can do:
Control the amount and frequency of alcohol you drink. The amount and frequency of alcohol consumption is the most important factor affecting the degree of harm of alcohol to the human body, and in general, the more alcohol you drink, the higher the risk of cancer. Therefore, we should reasonably control the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption according to our physical condition, gender, age and other factors, and avoid excessive drinking or excessive drinking. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, you should drink no more than two drinks a day (about 20 grams of pure alcohol), no more than 14 drinks a week (about 140 grams of pure alcohol), and no alcohol at least two days a week to reduce the cumulative effect of alcohol on the human body.
Choose low-alcohol beverages. The degree of alcoholic beverages refers to the amount of alcohol in the drink, which is generally expressed as a percentage or a degree. The higher the degree of alcoholic beverages, the more alcohol content, the greater the harm to the human body. Therefore, we should choose low-alcohol beverages such as beer, wine, etc., and avoid high-alcohol beverages such as liquor, vodka, etc.
Drink alcohol with food and water. When drinking, if combined with food and water, it can slow down the absorption of alcohol and reduce the concentration of alcohol, thereby reducing the harm of alcohol to the human body. Food can increase the feeling of fullness in the gastrointestinal tract, prolong the residence time of alcohol in the gastrointestinal tract, and reduce the absorption of alcohol. Water can dilute alcohol, reduce the concentration of alcohol, and reduce the irritating effect of alcohol. Therefore, when we drink alcohol, we should eat some foods appropriately, such as bread, cheese, nuts, etc., and at the same time drink more water, such as plain water, juice, tea, etc., and avoid drinking on an empty stomach or drinking too quickly.
Increase exercise and rest. Exercise and rest can enhance the body's resistance, promote the metabolism and excretion of alcohol, and thus reduce the harm of alcohol to the human body. Exercise can increase the body's metabolism and accelerate the breakdown and consumption of alcohol, while increasing the body's muscle mass and reducing the body's fat mass, thereby reducing alcohol storage and accumulation. Rest can increase the body's immunity, reduce alcohol damage and inflammation, and at the same time can increase the body's sleep quality, reduce the body's stress and anxiety, thereby reducing the stimulation and interference of alcohol.
Conclusion: The relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer is an issue that deserves our attention and attention. It is an indisputable fact that drinking alcohol causes cancer. Also, people who drink a lot of alcohol may be more likely to develop cancer than people who drink a lot of alcohol occasionally. This is because the harm of alcohol to the human body depends not only on the amount of alcohol, but also on factors such as the frequency, sensitivity, and interference of alcohol.
Therefore, we should reasonably control the amount and frequency of alcohol according to our physical condition and needs, choose low-alcohol beverages, drink with food and water, and increase exercise and rest, so as to reduce the harm of drinking, prevent the occurrence of cancer, and protect our health and happiness.