Treatment of liver cancer and alcohol consumption. The relationship between cancer and alcohol. Can drinking red wine help prevent cancer?

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There are many myths and reliable opinions surrounding the topic of whether you can drink alcohol if you have been diagnosed with cancer. With cancer, the body is in a depressed state. By wanting to drink alcohol despite the diagnosis, the patient reduces the likelihood of recovery to zero. Cancer and alcohol are mutually exclusive. The compatibility of drugs against oncology is zero, and the toxic effects have been proven. Oncologists say that alcohol should be excluded from the patient’s diet until the end of rehabilitation.

Research on this topic

In 2012, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified alcohol as a substance that stimulates the development of cancer. Protection and prevention of the oncological threat at the state level is getting rid of alcoholism as a mass phenomenon. Research conducted in 26 countries showed disappointing figures. Of the 35% of cancer patients, 11% are citizens suffering from chronic heavy drinking.

According to statistics from 2002 in Europe, 3.6% of cancers are associated with alcohol abuse. Among the percentage of cancer types, the leading group is:

• esophagus;
• larynx;
• pharynx;
• stomach;
• colon and rectum;
• liver;
• pancreas;
• lungs;
• breast.

In most cases, the cause of decreased immunity and the formation of cancer was the consumption of vodka. This is due to the increased level of ethanol in the drink. The higher the percentage of this substance, the closer the likelihood of cancer cell formation.

According to the Women's Health Initiative, the risk of estrogen-positive breast tumors is more likely in subjects consuming ethanol-containing drinks. The percentage among patients is higher in those who drink alcohol.

The mechanism of influence on the formation of cancer cells consists of exceeding the level of toxicity by ethanol breakdown products. According to research, cells that are unable to protect themselves from an excess of breakdown products begin to actively divide.

Is it possible to drink alcohol if you have cancer?

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you are prohibited from drinking alcohol. This rule is especially true for stomach cancer, since the main mechanisms are paralyzed - absorption, regeneration, desquamation of the epithelium. The inhibitory effect of alcohol suppresses the functioning of the mucous membrane and the production of secretions. As a result, healthy cells become food for aggressive cancer tissues.

5 reasons to ban alcohol during cancer:

1. alcohol contains high levels of sugar, which feeds cancer;
2. toxicity from ethanol breakdown products increases in cancer;
3. ethanol provokes the destruction of healthy cell walls;
4. fluid retention due to metabolic failure leads to the creation of a pathogenic environment;
5. under the influence of toxicity, carcinogenic substances are produced.

Medicines applied against the formation of malignant cells react with alcohol. The resulting chemical compounds further destroy the body and increase the risk of liver cirrhosis.

Is it possible to be coded for alcoholism with oncology?

Not every person can overcome alcoholism on their own. Even under the threat of cancer, the affected nervous system and depressed consciousness are not capable of independent struggle. Coding systems come to the rescue. For many, the question of whether it is possible to code for cancer remains relevant.

In his works, Dr. B. Brovko indicates that in the case of a diagnosis of cancer, a gentle method is coding using the method of suggestion. Hypnosis sessions are highly effective. In this case, physical methods of influence are not used. The practice of hypnotic suggestion has a high rate of patients giving up alcohol.

The safety of the method guarantees the abandonment of a negative habit. In this case, there is no danger of cancer cells progressing, since no additional drugs are administered. Drug intervention to get rid of alcoholism is possible in the early stages. There are not enough statistics on the number of positive outcomes without the risk of cancer progression, which makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions.

Alcohol as a factor in cancer

Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages provokes suppression of the immune system. With a general weakening of the body, cancer cells appear in the organs most susceptible to destructive effects.

According to the collected statistics, the most vulnerable bodies are:

• liver;
• pancreas;
• excretory system;
• genitals;
• stomach;
• endocrine glands;
• lymphatic system.

Exceeding the dose of alcohol with constant consumption leads to the production of large amounts of substances that provoke cancer. The body is not able to remove waste compounds and secrete sufficient amounts of antibodies to fight newly formed abnormal cells.

Excessive alcohol consumption causes suppression of the immune system

The system itself that recognizes defective cells suffers. Thanks to this, oncological manifestations have a chance to go unnoticed by the immune system in the first stages.

With oncology, the condition of the cell walls of tissues becomes thinner, they allow more toxic substances to pass through. There is a failure in the protective mechanisms, which leads to the formation of new foci of cancer cells.

The connection between the amount of drinking and the occurrence of cancer

According to collected data from the International Organization for Research on Cancer, the average daily acceptable intake is 25 grams of high-quality ethanol. According to statistics, this portion is exceeded by residents of the CIS by 25%, Western European countries by 19%, and residents of the USA by 21%.

Fact: “Statistical data confirm that regular consumption of 4-5 liters of low-quality beer per day leads to the formation of cancer cells in the liver, intestines, and larynx.”

How does alcohol cause cancer?

With various diseases provoked by alcoholism, disruptions in metabolic processes develop. Substances that are suitable in terms of parameters as a nutrient medium for cancer cells accumulate in the cells.

So, when the intestines and digestive system are depressed, the breakdown of fats becomes difficult. The body sends the excess to fatty tissue. People suffering from alcoholism experience increased deposits in the waist, hips, and chest areas.

On this medium, cancer cells can increase the percentage of their volume exponentially. The effect of alcohol on cancer is directly proportional. Abuse leads to the deposition of carcinogenic breakdown products in adipose tissue.

This impact extends to other systems. The excretory system is not able to remove fluid in the required quantities. Oversaturation with liquids leads to the formation of a pathogenic environment. The percentage of infections is increasing.

Damage to blood vessels leads to gradual cell death. The formed trophic foci become an additional source of poisoning of the body. In the lymphatic system, with double load, inflammation develops. It becomes another source of decreased immunity. In such conditions, the percentage increase in the risk of cancer is 65%.

Alcohol causes cancer - proven!

Conclusion

Alcohol has been proven to cause cancer when consumed in excess. Regularly exceeding the daily norm and increasing the amount of alcohol forms fertile ground for the formation of oncology. The sugars contained in alcoholic beverages become a substrate for feeding cancer cells.

The body with cancer experiences an immune deficiency, which leads to the development of additional diseases. As the number of problems accumulate, they lead to the suppression of the body's resistance systems. Timely treatment can give a chance for recovery.

The less you drink, the lower your risk of getting cancer. There is no specific type of alcoholic beverage to which this rule does not apply - it is ethyl alcohol that can damage tissue. Thus, it makes no difference - wine, beer, strong drinks - they are equally capable of causing cancer.

Of course, not every drinker of alcoholic beverages will develop cancer. However, scientists have found that some types of cancer are more common in people who drink than in people who don't drink alcohol at all.

In addition, it does not matter how alcohol enters the human body - in large doses and rarely, or daily and little by little. In any case, drinking alcohol can cause cancer.

How much alcohol should you drink to increase your risk of cancer?

There is no “safe” amount to drink, but the risk is lower for those who follow recommendations not to drink more than 2-3 “doses” of alcohol daily for women and 3-4 “doses” for men (one “dose” is the amount of alcoholic drink containing 8-10 ml of pure alcohol). Scientists have found that drinking one glass of beer or one large glass of wine daily (which is about 3 “doses”) can increase the risk of developing cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx. esophagus, breast, liver and colon.

How does alcohol cause cancer?

The mechanism of cell DNA damage by alcohol is largely related to the action of toxic acetaldehyde, into which alcohol is converted in the body. Acetaldehyde damages cell DNA and prevents damage from repairing. Acetaldehyde also causes liver cells to grow faster than normal. These regenerating cells contain changes in the genetic apparatus that can cause cancer. Ethanol is destroyed primarily in the liver, but cells of other organs also take part in this. Some bacteria that normally live in a person's mouth and intestines are also capable of transforming alcohol into acetaldehyde.

Alcohol can also force the human body’s own cells to produce reactive oxygen species, which cause damage to the cell’s genetic apparatus.

In addition, alcohol can increase the levels of certain hormones in the blood, such as estrogen. High estrogen levels increase the risk of breast cancer.

People who drink and smoke at the same time significantly increase the likelihood of cancer because smoking and alcohol mutually exacerbate the harmful effects on organs and tissues. For example, the absorption of carcinogenic components of tobacco smoke in the oral cavity is greatly enhanced by alcohol.

Drinking large doses of alcoholic beverages damages liver cells, resulting in cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a known risk factor for liver cancer.

In addition, there is conflicting information about the relationship between alcohol intake and bladder cancer, lung cancer and stomach cancer.

The most disturbing and unexpected statement in the report was that even moderate and small doses of alcohol cause and/or contribute to the development of cancer. In a meta-analysis of 222 studies that included 92,000 cancer patients who drank moderate alcohol and 60,000 cancer patients who drank no alcohol, moderate alcohol consumption was found to increase the risk of oropharyngeal cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, and breast cancer. This meta-analysis also estimated that in 2004, there were 5,000 deaths from oropharyngeal cancer, 24,000 deaths from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and 5,000 deaths from breast cancer due to moderate alcohol consumption worldwide in 2004. It should also be noted that this meta-analysis did not find an association of moderate alcohol consumption with colon and rectal cancer, liver cancer, and laryngeal cancer.

However, despite the high quality of this meta-analysis, it still has one weakness: respondents' "moderate" or "excessive" alcohol consumption was assessed by the respondents themselves, and although they were given clear criteria for discrimination, they may still have underestimated or deliberately underestimate this figure. The tendency of participants in such studies to unconsciously or consciously underestimate their level of commitment to alcohol is a scientifically proven fact. This can lead to misconceptions that low doses of alcohol are associated with cancer, when in fact much higher doses cause cancer.

Where does the increased risk come from?

The biological mechanisms that mediate the link between cancer and alcohol are not fully understood. Alcoholic beverages typically contain at least 15 carcinogenic compounds, including acetaldehyde, acrylamide, aflatoxins, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, ethanol, ethyl carbamate, formaldehyde and lead. Ethanol is the most important carcinogen in alcoholic beverages, and its rate of metabolism is determined by genetic mechanisms.

The first and most toxic product of alcohol metabolism is acetaldehyde. Ethanol that enters the body is oxidized by the enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase, cytochrome P4502E1, and catalase to form acetaldehyde. This metabolite is carcinogenic and genotoxic upon contact with the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract (pharynx, oral cavity, esophagus, larynx), where high concentrations of acetaldehyde cause hyperproliferation of the mucous membrane.

There are also indirect mechanisms by which alcohol promotes malignant tumors. For example, alcohol is an antagonist of folic acid, and by disrupting the absorption and metabolism of folic acid, it impairs DNA methylation. In breast cancer, alcohol can increase estrogen levels and the activity of insulin-like growth factor receptors, which in turn stimulate the proliferation of cancer cells. There are also other mechanisms that are mediated by the production of reactive oxygen species (oxygen ions, free radicals and peroxides) and reactive nitrogen species (peroxynitrite, etc.), as well as the role of alcohol as a solvent for tobacco carcinogens.

The bitter truth about strong alcoholic drinks

Type of alcohol: wine, beer, spirits - generally does not affect the risk of cancer, but esophageal cancer is an exception. The esophagus is covered with very small cilia, which are easily destroyed by high concentrations of ethanol, such as those found in strong alcoholic drinks.

Alcohol and smoking

The combination of smoking and alcohol is considered by many people to be a pleasant and acceptable activity. Smoking has long been known to be a risk factor for cancer. However, a significant increase in the carcinogenic effect was found when tobacco smoking was combined with alcohol, regarding the risk of developing cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and esophagus; the highest risks were observed in heavy smokers and alcoholics. A dose-dependent effect was also noted, especially noticeable in the level of proliferation of the esophageal mucosa. Abstaining from cigarettes and alcohol can prevent up to 80% of oral cancers and up to 90% of laryngeal cancers.

But doesn't alcohol have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system?

Alcohol is a double-edged sword. Two decades ago, works studying the “French paradox” began to appear in the medical literature. It turned out that minimal to moderate doses of alcohol have a cardioprotective effect. Some observational studies have shown that French people who had high levels of alcohol consumption (particularly wine) had the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease.

To people far from medicine, this study might seem like a kind of “indulgence” for drinking, although other studies clearly showed that the reduction in the risk of diabetes, stroke, heart failure, and overall mortality does not pay for the enormous harm that it causes to the body person with chronic alcohol abuse. In particular, alcohol abuse provokes hypertension, atrial fibrillation, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, as well as non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

The evidence for the harmful effects of alcohol is much stronger than the evidence for its beneficial effects. In addition, the benefit-risk ratio of alcohol consumption changes sharply in favor of the risk in young people, since they are the ones who most often suffer from the negative consequences of acute alcohol intoxication (accidents, violence, and social problems). As a result, in the age category of men from 15 to 59 years old, alcohol abuse is the leading risk factor for premature death.

Correction of risk factors

Alcohol consumption is considered a modifiable risk factor for cancer. Clinicians are encouraged to discuss this risk factor with patients and encourage them to reduce their exposure. How important is a risk factor such as moderate alcohol consumption compared to all other risk factors for cancer? Is it worth the time and effort to try to convince patients to reduce their alcohol consumption, or is it “not worth the gamble”? Dr. Rehm explains: "We still don't know what causes 60% of cancers, but people can reliably reduce their risk of cancer by reducing their alcohol consumption."

Dr Pekka Puska, former director general of the Finnish National Institute of Health and Welfare and co-author of the WCR report, responded to this question: “Doctors should be aware of the risks of drinking alcohol and inform their patients about this when appropriate. However, for most patients, especially older people, drinking alcohol in moderation does not significantly increase the risk, and therefore they should not be pressured to abstain from alcohol completely. But with patients who have diseases directly aggravated by alcohol, doctors must be very firm and strongly recommend them specific suggestions and ways to completely quit alcohol.”

People often want to know how much they can drink without causing much harm to the body, what dose of alcohol is not dangerous. “There is no absolutely safe dose of alcohol consumption”, says Dr. Rehm. “Drinking any amount of alcohol inevitably carries some risk, and this risk increases as the amount of alcohol increases.”

Ministry of Health warns: alcohol is dangerous to your health

Alcohol is not an ordinary consumer product. The sale of alcohol requires clear regulation by public policy, special taxation, and the creation of a service sector aimed at combating the damage it causes. This puts the interests of public health and the interests of the alcohol industry at stark contrast. The authors of the WCR report propose some forms of alcohol policy aimed at promoting public health.

Dr Puska says: "The prevalence of alcohol abuse is closely related to the overall level of alcohol consumption in the population." Therefore, he believes that restrictions should apply not only to groups at risk for alcoholism, but also to all other alcohol consumers.

Dr. Rehm insists that alcohol bottles carry warning labels to remind people of the cancer risk associated with drinking any alcoholic beverages. Some countries have already introduced similar warning labels, but they usually contain information only about the dangers of alcohol for pregnant women. Warning labels should explain the risks associated with alcohol consumption in language that the average person can understand.

Reducing the availability of alcohol through pricing and taxation can reduce the amount of alcohol consumed and thereby alcohol-related health and social harms, including the risk of cancer and premature death.

Dr. Puska explains: “The risks associated with alcohol are not limited to cancer. Alcohol is linked to many other health problems. However, such a strong emphasis on the carcinogenic effect of alcohol, the creation of a separate report dedicated to it, is due to the fact that such a clear relationship between alcohol consumption and the development of cancer is news to most people. We want to draw attention to this side of the problem and fill the existing knowledge gap. Of course, when we talk about alcohol-related problems with a specific patient, we will discuss not only the risks of malignant tumors, but the entire panorama of problems as a whole.”

Alcoholism is a disease that is recommended to be treated as early as possible. Numerous studies prove that long-term and regular consumption of alcoholic beverages is harmful to human health and, in addition, has some non-specific consequences. One of the most terrible consequences is cancer.

Systematic consumption of alcohol is a factor that provokes the occurrence of various types of cancer. What kind of alcohol is consumed - strong or light spirits, vodka or shamanic, cognac or beer - does not matter. Any drink containing alcohol can cause a malignant tumor.

1. Liver cancer. People who abuse alcoholic beverages experience gastritis, changes in liver function, and the functioning of the pancreas is disrupted. Alcohol consumption creates an increased load on the liver, and one of the main functions of the organ is disrupted - the neutralization of carcinogens. As a result, irreversible changes occur in the organ, cirrhosis of the liver develops, which subsequently leads to the appearance of a malignant tumor.
2. Bowel cancer. With regular use of alcoholic beverages, the digestive function of the body decreases and appetite is suppressed. An unbalanced and irregular diet leads to a lack of essential vitamins and microelements, including those that protect the body from cancer. An exhausted and weakened body provides fertile ground for the development of intestinal cancer.
3. Breast cancer. Ethanol contained in alcoholic beverages can increase the levels of certain hormones. Some forms of breast cancer occur due to increased levels of the sex hormone estrogen. For women with breast cancer, alcohol is completely contraindicated, since even moderate doses of alcoholic beverages increase the risk of breast tumor recurrence and significantly reduce the chances of survival of women with breast cancer, regardless of their age.
4. Oral cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer. However, experts note a serious growth rate of this type of cancer. Over the past 30 years alone, the incidence has increased by 20%, which is explained by a noticeable increase in alcohol consumption. Regular drinking increases the risk of developing oral cancer.
5. Throat cancer and laryngeal cancer are diseases that also have a growing trend. At the same time, the risk of getting a malignant tumor of the throat increases if alcohol is combined with smoking.
6. Cancer of the esophagus and stomach. The results of studies conducted in different countries have shown that more than 50% of people with esophageal cancer are alcohol dependent. Alcohol is said to be the main cause of esophageal cancer, as well as squamous cell carcinoma, a type of malignant tumor. More often, people with a deficiency of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol are at risk.

Alcohol is, if not the main, then in many ways one of the main causes of a large number of chronic diseases, which often develop into cancer of various organs.

Of course, not everyone who abuses alcohol will necessarily get cancer. But there is scientific evidence that the percentage of people with malignant tumors is much higher among drinkers.

Numerous medical studies have found that people addicted to alcohol are 10 times more likely to develop all of the listed types of cancer than patients who have not previously been addicted to alcoholic beverages. This is explained by the fact that alcoholic drinks, entering the human body over a long period of time, contribute to the disruption of vital functions.

What disorders in the body are caused by drinking alcohol:

• in the human body, alcohol breaks down to acetaldehyde, which poisons the body, as it has toxic and carcinogenic properties;
• drinkers develop a deficiency of vital vitamins and essential microelements;
• due to the toxic effects of alcohol on the body, cell DNA is damaged;
• the amount of the sex hormone estrogen increases, which is especially harmful for women;
• alcohol abuse leads to a decrease in the amount of folic acid in the body, which plays an important role in the creation of new DNA and the synthesis of new cells;
• in the liver there is a disruption in the production of vitamin A, which has a preventive effect against cancer;
• metabolic disturbance occurs.

The consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially systematically, leads to the formation and accumulation of carcinogenic substances in the human body, the development of immune deficiency and the appearance of various precancerous diseases.

From the described violations, the conclusion follows: there is a direct connection between the concepts of alcohol and cancer. Drinking alcoholic beverages harms the body at the cellular level. Changes during cancer begin with cells. Mutation of cells leads to their random division and growth into malignant tumors.

In addition to the above, drinking alcohol does not allow red blood cells to be produced in the blood in the required quantity. This leads to low hemoglobin or anemia in the drinker. With anemia, the body's immune system does not work well, which also increases the risk of a malignant tumor and its rapid growth.

If a person is being treated for cancer and wonders whether he can drink alcoholic beverages, then medicine categorically prohibits this. It is forbidden to take alcohol even during the treatment of common colds, and malignant tumors are particularly serious diseases.

• If you continue to drink alcohol during cancer treatment, this will negate all ongoing treatment measures;
• for any form of cancer, the use of alcohol significantly increases the risk of death and shortens the patient’s life;
• alcohol causes severe intoxication of the whole body, as a result a person experiences excruciating headaches, nausea, and general discomfort;
• alcohol provokes the appearance of malignant tumors in all human organs, their rapid growth and rapid progression of the disease.

The listed consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages during treatment for oncology indicate that cancer and alcohol are categorically incompatible, so there is no need to test the pathological effects of alcoholic beverages on yourself. The answer to the question whether it is possible to drink alcohol if you have cancer has a clearly negative answer.

If a person is being treated for cancer and continues to drink alcohol, the likelihood that he will be able to recover is reduced to zero.

Patients often believe that drinking weak alcohol, in particular beer, is quite acceptable. But it is beer that affects the increase in the sex hormone estrogen in the body, which causes such types of cancer as breast cancer. Therefore, beer and oncology are absolutely incompatible concepts, especially for women.

Is there a safe dosage of alcoholic drinks? Experts give a negative answer to this question - there are no safe doses of alcohol. Even if you drink a little alcohol, a small amount of the carcinogen will still enter the body.

Cancer patients often wonder whether it is possible to drink dry red wine if they have cancer. Drinking red wine during chemotherapy or radiation therapy has not been fully studied. Red wine contains the antioxidant resveratrol, which research shows has a destructive effect on cancer cells and enhances the results of chemotherapy treatment.

However, it is not only red wines that have the same positive effect. The same effect is achieved by drinking grape juices made from red and purple grape varieties, which also contain the antioxidant resveratrol.

Whether or not to exclude red wine from the diet is a question left to the discretion of doctors. There are no exact recommendations for its use. But many oncologists are inclined to believe that it is healthier and safer to drink grape juice.

From all that has been said, the conclusion follows - if a person wants to recover from cancer, then drinking any alcohol is strictly contraindicated.

People who are dependent on alcohol must understand that only complete abstinence from alcohol and mandatory treatment for alcoholism will help eliminate the risk of serious illnesses, which usually end in death.

If a person gets cancer, he will need a lot of strength to fight this serious disease. And if the patient continues to drink, he will not have enough strength to fight the disease. And death will occur very soon.

Cancer can be cured at any stage. But here, first of all, it is important that the patient himself strives for recovery. To do this, you need to completely eliminate alcoholic beverages from your diet and switch to a healthy lifestyle, as well as strictly follow medical instructions.

If it is difficult for a patient to give up alcoholic beverages due to his existing addiction, it is worth starting to fight the addiction itself.

1. Not a drop of alcohol should enter the patient’s body. To eliminate provocative moments, it is necessary to get rid of all types of alcohol in the apartment where the patient lives.
2. It is better to exclude the possibility of communicating with people who have a craving for alcohol, which means they can provoke the patient to drink.
3. The body should be cleansed of toxins. To do this, you should contact a hospital medical facility for a course of IV drips.
4. The use of medications to increase hemoglobin, normalize the cardiac, digestive and other body systems.
5. Do psychotherapy. If self-control is not enough to give up alcohol, you should seek the help of specialists involved in psychological problems.

Alcohol addiction can be overcome even in a short period if a person wants it.

Quitting alcohol will help strengthen the immune system and maintain hemoglobin at the desired level. This means that cancer treatment will be more successful.

There are many causes of cancer. But the most important factor causing the disease is the person himself. Or rather, his unhealthy habits and incorrect lifestyle. To significantly reduce the risk of developing cancer, you should give up bad habits, including drinking alcohol.

A comparison of the effect on the human body of expensive alcoholic beverages and cheap, lower-quality ones revealed that, even by drinking only expensive alcohol, a person is also at risk of developing cancer. Any alcohol is a carcinogen, and you must be aware that if you drink, you are consciously poisoning your body.

There was this topic here recently, which caused heated discussions, and in fact, every person, and especially after making a diagnosis like ours, after (or during) treatment, asks the question: Should I drink or should I not drink? I’m just reading another book about cancer, called “Nutrition and Cancer” by V.G. Bespalov. I found a lot of interesting things there that will help shed light on this complex issue :) So, on the agenda are the benefits and harms of alcohol; How much is the dose?; Interesting Facts. (I have the book in electronic version, so after looking through the entire chapter, I highlight the main thing, some things with my comments)

“Alcohol has accompanied man since ancient times. Grape wine or beer made by a skilled winemaker and brewer can be considered valuable food products. Wine and beer supply the body with some nutrients: amino acids, organic acids; vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B12; minerals manganese, zinc, calcium, magnesium, iodine and other biologically active microcomponents. But people have been drinking since ancient times not because of this. A person likes the feeling of intoxication, which gives pleasure, relaxes, distracts, makes him more sociable.
Alcoholic drinks have a special relationship with cancer. A number of studies have shown that alcohol increases the risk of cancer of the breast, oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, rectum, bladder, lung in humans, and also causes fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver, which can lead to cancer this organ. Moreover, alcohol itself is not a carcinogen, but it activates the transformation of procarcinogens into active forms, enhances the carcinogenic effects of smoking, interferes with the absorption of vitamins, microelements and other nutrients, inhibits the immune system, and through these mechanisms contributes to the development of cancer. In addition, alcoholic drinks are a high-calorie product. Alcohol, having a high energy value, can replace beneficial nutrients as a source of energy. 1 g of pure alcohol contains 7.3 kcal, slightly less than fat. Alcoholics begin to eat less, and the body adapts to obtaining energy from alcohol. The result is a serious deficiency of amino acids, PUFAs, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients.
On the other hand, recently research results have appeared that show that moderate alcohol consumption of 20 g of pure ethyl alcohol per day (a glass of vodka, a glass of dry wine or a bottle of beer) increases the level of high-density lipoproteins in the blood and prevents the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular crises: myocardial infarction, stroke. Scientists even consider 10 g of pure alcohol taken every other day to be a useful dose."
-Then there are discussions about who in our country stops for a glass of wine or vodka, that alcoholism is the scourge of modern Russia (which is generally not far from reality), about crimes committed under the influence of alcohol, about road accidents, etc. . etc., each of us knows this, and this concerns the harm of alcohol not only for an individual, but also for society as a whole. Further -
"English doctors consider an alcoholic to be a man who drinks more than 21 doses of alcohol per week, and a woman who drinks more than 14 drinks per week. A dose of alcohol is either 25 g of strong drink, or 150 g of wine, or 0.33 g of beer. From these data it is clear that how easy it is to exceed the “useful” dose of 20 g of pure alcohol per day and become a sick person. With daily consumption of more than 40 g of alcohol, general and cardiovascular mortality already increases, and alcoholism significantly shortens life and is one of the main causes of premature death. Women are more sensitive to the oncological consequences of alcohol consumption. According to German doctors, even moderate alcohol consumption in women (10-20 g per day) significantly increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and breast. It should also not be forgotten that even very small doses of alcohol significantly impair intellectual functions, and the most important thing for a person is, after all, thinking abilities."
By the way, do not forget that alcohol is also present in kefir, kvass, sauerkraut, biscuits, cakes, and fillings.
“Some alcoholic beverages may contain well-known carcinogens, for example, beer preparation technology leads to the introduction of carcinogenic nitroso compounds and polycyclic hydrocarbons into this beloved drink by many. Whiskey, cognac, dessert wines, port wines may contain the carcinogenic substance urethane. On the other hand, grape wine , especially red ones, antioxidant flavonoids come from the skins and seeds of grapes in large quantities, which prevent the development of tumors. The most famous flavonoid contained in grape wine is resveratrol. A number of studies have been conducted in which resveratrol effectively inhibited the occurrence and development of tumors of various organs in experiments on animals. Grape wine can be called a weak alcohol tincture, containing, in addition to flavonoids, other useful substances: vitamins, microelements, organic acids, pectin substances. In medicine, there has long been a method of treatment using grape wines - enotherapy. The French call grape wine the milk of old men. The “French paradox” is well known: residents of this country are less likely to suffer from certain forms of tumors, coronary heart disease and heart attacks compared to other civilized countries. This paradox is explained by the regular consumption of grape wines. Hops contain anti-carcinogenic substances that end up in beer: phytoestrogens that prevent the development of breast cancer, flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, vitamins. American scientists have found that beer and dry wine in small quantities kill the causative agent of gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancer - Helicobacter pili ori; those who do not drink alcohol at all are more likely to carry this harmful microbe in their stomach. The Christian thinker Saint John Chrysostom was right when he said: “Wine is God’s work, but drunkenness is the devil’s.
And yet, oncologists recommend sharply limiting alcohol consumption. For dietary cancer prevention, it is better not to drink any alcoholic beverages at all, drink them occasionally, or at least not exceed the above-mentioned dose of 20 g of pure alcohol per day. A person who does not drink at all in modern society looks like a black sheep. Allowing yourself to occasionally drink a glass of red grape wine is not a sin at all. However, it is very easy to cross the line and become dependent on alcoholic beverages. Consumption of alcohol in small or moderate doses can have positive effects, but alcohol abuse leads to severe consequences for the body and dramatically shortens life. WHO experts believe that it is unreasonable to recommend alcohol as a means of preventing cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Special studies have shown that non-alcoholic red wine and red grape juice also have a beneficial effect on the body."