You have probably heard that alcohol increases the risk of oncological diseases. Is it true that even one glass of wine in the evening can do harm? Learn exactly how alcohol affects the risk of breast cancer and how to control its consumption to reduce this risk. Only by understanding the risks associated with alcohol you will be able to make important decisions and changes for yourself.
Alcohol and the risk of breast cancer
Is it true that even one glass of alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer? Unfortunately, it is. Even that one glass of red wine a day, which can reduce the risk of heart disease, will at the same time negatively affect the chances of developing breast cancer.
A comparison of women who have given up alcohol altogether with those who drink at least a few alcoholic beverages a week shows that the second group has an increased risk of breast cancer [1]. There are several explanations for this:
- Alcohol increases the levels of various hormones in the body, including estrogen. The effects of elevated estrogen levels on the risk of developing breast cancer are well known and play an important role in this situation.
- Alcohol is empty calories that can promote weight gain. You can read about how being overweight can affect your risk of breast cancer here.
- When alcohol is consumed, the body absorbs it and further distributes it as the toxic substance acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde can not only damage cellular DNA but also prevent the body from repairing the damage. This mechanism allows cancer to develop unnoticed.
- People who consume increased amounts of alcohol have elevated folic acid levels, which in turn can stimulate the development of breast cancer by affecting cell division and growth.
How to avoid excessive alcohol use?
Alcohol not only affects the development of various types of cancer but can also cause great damage to organs and metabolism of the body. Surely, it would be best to give up using it completely and introduce more healthy habits in your daily life. However, reducing alcohol consumption is also a positive change, so we've put together some suggestions to help you:
1. Choose low-calorie options to avoid unwanted weight gain.
2. Choose drinks with lower alcohol content.
3. When drinking alcohol, drink it alternately with a glass of water.
4. Avoid salty snacks with alcohol! Salt stimulates thirst, making you drink faster and more.
5. Keep track of your drinking habits - how much and how often do you drink alcohol? It can be difficult to record and remember it afterwards, so you may want to consider introducing an alcohol diary.
Rarely, alcohol is the only factor that stimulates the development of breast cancer. You can calculate your breast cancer risk and find out all the current risk factors by taking a quick and easy free test here.
You can read more about breast cancer, its treatment, and other risk factors here.