Guest guest Posted November 29, 2003 Report Share Posted November 29, 2003 Alcohol as a Carcinogen JoAnn Guest Jul 10, 2003 17:21 PDT June Russell's Health Facts [Alcohol as a Carcinogen] It is tragic that we lose a half a million people each year to this dreadful plague called cancer and despite the millions of dollars spent on new drug therapies, the numbers are getting worse, not better. The development of new cancers and the epidemic of cancer is increasing every year, so relying on the medical establishment to save us is the wrong way. The media is driven by advertising, and is focused on drug and vaccine development, so almost nobody is getting word about prevention out to the mainstream. One of the ways to prevent cancer is by avoiding alcohol. The Lancet reminds us that grapes are good for us, and we wouldn't want to drink a lot of wine to get an effective dose of resveratrol, and a lead researcher reminded us that " eternal health is not to be found in the bottom of a wine bottle. " { " How to Save Yourself from Cancer, " Women's Health Letter, Nan Kathryn Fuchs, PhD, March 2002} The American Cancer Society drew the ire of the alcohol industry when it released guidelines calling for a reduction in alcohol intake to lower the risk of cancer: " Limited or no alcohol intake. " Dr. Meir Stampfer, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, said that we know lots of ways to reduce the risk of heart disease without the use of alcohol. {CNN - Cancer Society - April 2001} Carcinogenicty of Alcoholic Drinks Alcohol damages cells, thereby promoting cell division; stimulates enzymes that activate other carcinogens; robs the body of cancer-protective nutrients such as Vitamin A, folate and selenium; it irritates delicate organ linings; diminishes the body's ability to eliminate dangerous cancer-causing particles called free radicals, and harms enzymes that repair damaged DNA. Some forms of alcohol also carry their own carcinogens, such as nitrosamines, into the body. The of Clinical Nutrition at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center states that those at the Cancer Center consider alcohol a toxin. {Cancer Smart newsletter, published by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, March 1996} A seemingly small amount of alcohol is a very potent carcinogen. Alcohol is a poor choice of beverage if you have cancer. Avoid alcohol to prevent cancer and cancer recurrence: alcohol can greatly speed up the disease of cancer. {Alternative Medicine, Definitive Guide to Cancer, John Diamond, MD, W. Lee Cowden, MD, and Burton Goldberg, 1997} A Harvard University study found that one alcoholic drink daily led to an eighty percent higher melanoma risk, and in an Australian study, two or more drinks daily resulted in an increase of two to two and one- half times. {in the book, " Skin Deep, " Carol Turkinton and Jeffrey Dover, MD, 1998} Alcohol is a tumor-promoter and a carcinogen. The use of alcohol increases cancer risk and has a profound effect. For the lowest possible cancer risk, alcohol should be avoided. {International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), in the 1999 book, " Stopping Cancer before it Starts, " by the American Institute for Cancer Research} The National Toxicology Program at the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services now warns that alcoholic beverages are " known to be human carcinogens. " The NTP now lists alcoholic beverage consumption along with arsenic, asbestos, benzene, and others as cancer-causing. This was based on three years of study and may call for future labeling of all alcoholic beverages to have warnings about cancer risk. {Center for Science in the Public Interest Bulletin, May 2000} A U.S. Government report on what causes cancer now includes alcoholic beverages. { " New Cancer Report removes saccharin and adds alcohol, " Reuters, nutrition.about.com - June 2001} Author's comment: Aspartame and ethyl acrylate were removed from the cancer causing list because of the pressure from industry groups. Cancer risk may be increased by drinking any amount of alcohol. It doesn't matter if it's beer, wine or whiskey, and the best way to protect yourself from alcohol-related cancers is not to drink. Alcohol increases cancer-causing free radicals. Cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus and larynx develop when sensitive tissues are directly exposed to alcohol in beverages. { " Alcohol/Cancer Link Is Solid, " American Institute for Cancer Research (AIRC) Newsletter -aicr.org - October 2001} Exposure to chemicals is just one environmental factor that combines with a person's genetic predispositions to cause cancer. Others include diet, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, and exposure to sunlight, radiation, and viruses. Most cancers arise in people who were born with healthy genes: environmental factors play a role in perhaps 80% of all cancers. Prevention could greatly reduce this. { " Cancer and the Environment: A Primer for Primary Care Physicians, " www.psrus.org - April 2002} Additives and Substances in Alcoholic Drinks Alcohol weakens the body's protection and lets carcinogens in the body. Alcohol is a solvent, and alcoholic beverages include more than 400 substances beside ethanol. Cancer has been linked to some of these ingredients. {in the book, " Living Well, Staying Well, " American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society, 1996} Many wines have been found to be contaminated with cancer-causing urethane. {Nutrition Action Health Letter, April 1988} Diet and Nutrition Alcohol acts as a co-carcinogen; that is it can increase the effectiveness of other cancer-causing agents: it damages cells, thereby promoting cell division; robs the body of cancer-protective nutrients such as Vitamin A, folate and selenium; and harms enzymes that repair damaged DNA. Some forms of alcohol carry their own carcinogens, such as nitrosamines, into the body. " We consider alcohol a toxin, " says Dr. Moshe Shike, Director of Clinical Nutrition at Memorial Sloan- Kettering Cancer Center. The protective effects of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables appear to be lost on drinkers (of alcohol). {Cancer Smart, March 1996} The physicians at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center warn that alcohol is a `toxin' and that the protective effect of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables seems to be lost on those who drink alcohol. { " Cancer Smart, " newsletter, 1996} Alcohol is a common cause of pancreatitis. {from book, " Good Foods for Bad Stomachs, " by Henry Janowitz, MD, 1997, in the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients} Ingestion of alcohol, which is known to promote folic acid deficiency, has been linked to an increase of colon cancer. {American Journal of Epidemiology, 1998} Physicians stress a low-fat diet, regular exercise and an avoidance of alcohol and tobacco as the best prevention for most cancers. { " Aspirin may lower cancer risk, " by Marta Adrich, associated press writer, Nashville, Tenn., stopgettingsick.com, May 25, 2001} In studies, alcohol intake was associated with a lowered risk for heart disease, but tended to increase the risk for cancer. No one should start drinking wine or any other alcoholic beverage as a means to better health. { " Follow-up: All Cause Mortality and Alcohol Consumption, " Harvard Heart Letter, August 2001} An article published by The American Institute for Cancer Research in 1997, " Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, " stated that a plant-based diet and the avoidance of alcohol, together with the maintenance of recommended body mass and regular physical activity, may decrease the incidence of breast cancer by about 35 to 50%. { " Complementary Approaches to Breast Cancer, " William Bergman, MD, healthology.com - Oct. 2001} Insulin seems to be one of the main drivers for cancer. So if you want to prevent cancer, or want to treat cancer, it is absolutely imperative that you keep insulin levels as low as possible. This will also slow down the aging process and decrease your risk for just about all degenerative diseases. {mercola.com - October 2001} Author's comment: The use of alcohol increases insulin levels. A study in the journal Epidemiology reported that women whose diets were lowest in folate faced no greater cancer risk than women with higher-folate diets, if they were nondrinkers. But if they drank more than two alcoholic drinks a week, their breast cancer risk increased almost 60 percent. JAMA reported similar findings from the Nurse's Health Study: it was 40% risk. It is too early to know, however, if simply getting sufficient folate is enough to prevent alcohol's damaging effects. { " Alcohol worse for some women, " Karen Collins, R.D., msnbc.com/news - Dec. 2001} Almost one in three cancers could be prevented through healthier eating, and researchers have published preliminary study results showing that an increase in consumption of vegetables (especially cooked vegetables) show the greatest reduction in DNA damage levels from which cancer can potentially develop. Eating more vegetables and fruits while eating meats in moderation has a positive effect. I don't believe anyone disputes the effectiveness of vegetables in promoting health. {www.mercola.com - June 2001} Author's comment: Alcohol robs the body of cancer-protective nutrients and researchers have found that the protective effects of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables appear to be lost on those who drink alcohol. {Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute}. Alcohol consumption has a strong anti-folic acid effect, and deficiency of this nutrient enhances intestinal cancer. { " Alcohol, colon cancer, and folic acid, " " Nutrition Hints, " by Betty Kamen, PhD, and Dr. Michael Rosenbaum, MD, Source: Journal of Nutrition (2002) The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) estimates that twenty percent of cancers could be prevented if everyone ate five servings of vegetables and fruits daily. Avoid alcohol if you have had breast cancer, head or neck cancer, or a gastrointestinal cancer. {John Hopkins Medical Letter, Health After 50, newsletter, Jan. 2002} It is no less than shocking to realize that 60 to 80 percent of cancer worldwide can be prevented through a practical nutritional approach coupled with the avoidance of alcohol and tobacco products. A new drug with such effectiveness would certainly be considered a miracle. {Barry Bittman, MD, " Cancer Prevention: What We Need to Know, " HealthWorld Online, Feb. 2002} The higher your antioxidant intake, the more protection you have against cancer, and this even applies to smoking and those with H. pylori infection. { " Antioxidants and cancer prevention, " Nutrition Hints, #1008, Betty Kamen and Dr. Michael Rosenbaum, Nov. 2002 - taken from Gastroenterology, 2002} Author's comment: Alcohol negates vitamins. For information see Alcohol - Vitamins/Nutrients on this Web site. Several studies associate the intake of alcohol, including beer, with increased cancer risk. { " Diet and Cancer: Food Additives, Coffee, and Alcohol, " Nutrition and Cancer, 1983 & Editorial Staff: " Beer Drinking and the Risk of Rectal Cancer, " Nutrition Reviews, 1984} Also note that tannic acid found in wines is linked to liver cancer. {In alternativemedicine.com - October 2002} The effects of alcohol consumption on the risk of various types of cancers have been studied extensively. An analysis of 123 studies found not only higher risks for cirrhosis, but also relationships for colorectum, liver, and breast cancers. {Carrao, Bagnardi, Zambon, et al., 1999}. The authors found that the intake of a daily consumption of two drinks or two glasses of wine (25 g/day), have shown significant risks. { " Alcohol Effects on People, " U.S. Department of Transportation (NHTSA), 2002} Colon and Rectal Cancer Alcohol consumption was strongly related to the risk of colon cancer in both men and women. { " Alcohol and nutrients in relation to colon cancer in middle-aged adults, " American Journal of Epidemiology, 1993, The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health} According to the American Cancer Society, alcohol has been linked to rectal and colon cancers. The strongest link is between beer drinking and rectal cancer in men. { " Cancer and the American Man, " A 90's Survival Guide, Stephen Austin, ND, in Let's Live magazine, 1997} Alcohol use alters certain DNA proteins. Individuals who consumed about 7.5 ounces of wine, or 35 ounces of beer, or 3.75 ounces of hard liquor per week week, for over 20 years were 60% more likely to develop a tumor with a genetic defect. { " Alcohol ups risk of genetic defect in colon cancer, " HealthCentral.com -Aug. 2001} Breast Cancer Women who drink one glass of wine a day will have a 50% greater risk of having breast cancer. This is added to the thirty-some previous studies that also substantiates this study. {Walter Willett, MD, Harvard School of Health - 1993} A study reported in the International Journal of Epidemiology, cited in the Lancet finds that 25 percent of breast cancers may be due to drinking alcohol. Women who drink moderate-to-heavy are at the greatest risk, but even light drinkers increase their risk substantially. { " New Study Ties Alcohol, Breast Cancer, " alternativemedicine.com - Nov. 1997} Each daily drink of alcohol (beer, wine, or hard liquor) was associated with about a 9% increase in breast cancer in Journal of the American Medical Association today. {`Alcohol tied to a higher breast cancer risk,' The Daily Progress {AP), Charlottesville, VA, Feb. 18, 1998} One of the reasons alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer in women is that the alcohol competes with the liver's ability to metabolize estrogen because it is already busy converting the alcohol to glucose. Therefore the amount of estrogen increases. Dr. Northrup expressed amazement that we stress alcohol for heart disease prevention, yet ignore the risk-free benefits of supplements. {Dr. Christiane Northrup, Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, April 1998} Alcohol raises the blood levels of the hormone estradiol and other reproductive hormones. Those women who averaged one drink a day were 39% more likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not drink. Alcohol consumption also hastens the loss of calcium from the body, setting the stage for osteoporosis. {`Alcohol, Women, and Heart Disease, " Robert Haas in his book, Permanent Remissions} One of the reasons alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer in women is that it competes with the liver's ability to metabolize estrogen, since it is busy converting the alcohol to glucose. Therefore, the amount of estrogen increases. If you take Premarin, don't drink (alcohol)! {Dr. Christiane Northrup, Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, April, 1998} Alcohol boosts estrogen levels and if you drink it daily, you may elevate it more than you realize. Researchers are concerned that prolonged exposure to high levels of estrogen may increase breast cancer. {The News and Observer, NC, August, 1998, Joe Graedon's column} Although many women worry about pesticides and toxic chemicals, the chemical most clearly shown to affect breast cancer risk is alcohol. {`Making Risk Personal,' Washington Post Health, June 2000} Breast cancer patients with high levels of insulin in their blood seem to be eight times more likely to die of their disease than other women, and almost four times as likely to have their cancer recur at a distant sight, Canadian researchers have found. Evidence shows that in the breast, insulin spurs the growth of both normal and cancerous cells. { " Insulin level may help predict cancer survival, " HealthCentral.com - June 2000} Author's comment: Alcohol use raises insulin levels. Minimize consumption of alcohol to avoid imbalances of estrogen metabolism. Alcohol has an estrogenic activity. I think breast cancer results from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors, in which lifestyle choices, such as diet, use of alcohol, and exposure to estrogenic toxins have much more influence than emotion. {Dr. Andrew Weil, `Spontaneous Healing'} Early and excessive use of alcohol is one of the lifestyle risks that cause breast cancer. {www.preventcancer.com from " The Breast Cancer Prevention Program, " Epstein, Steinman and LeVert, 1998} Author's comment: It is not clear what is excessive, but many studies (over 30) have shown that even smaller amounts of alcohol increase the risk of breast cancer. Post menopausal women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) should be aware that alcohol may have a synergistic effect and a significant impact on breast cancer risk according to some studies. { " How Can the Risk of Breast Cancer Be Lowered? " CBSHealthwatch.com -October 2001} Alcoholic beverages are now a " known " human carcinogen, which indicates that there is a cause and effect relationship between the exposure and human cancer, and there are studies that show a specific link to drinking and breast cancer. Epidemiologic research has shown a dose-dependent association between alcohol consumption and certain types of cancer. According to JAMA, reducing alcohol consumption is a potential means to reducing breast cancer risk. { " Alcohol and Breast Cancer, " alcoholism.about.com - Feb. 2002} For most women, low intakes of B-vitamins do not represent a major risk factor for breast cancer. The exception was among women who consumed little folate, but who regularly drank alcohol. Dr. Thomas A. Sellers of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and his colleagues reported: " It is well established that the use of alcohol-containing beverages poses a slight increase in the risk of cancer. People who have adequate folate intake, however, may have a better capacity to repair DNA damage caused by the acetaldehyde. " When the body breaks down alcohol it produces acetaldehyde, which has been known to cause cancer. { " Drinking plus low folate linked to breast cancer, " Epidemiology 2001, womenshealthchannel.com - April 2002} There is good evidence of an increased risk of breast cancer in women who drink one or more alcoholic beverages a day, regardless of the type of alcoholic beverage they choose. For women who have had breast cancer you may be better off if you abstain from alcohol all together. { " Diet and Breast Cancer, " Dr. Andrew Weil's Self Healing newsletter, Aug. 2002} Women who used hormones or only drank alcohol had about a 30 percent higher risk of invasive breast cancer than women who used neither. Women who used both hormones and alcohol (drinking at least 1.5 alcoholic drinks a day) had almost twice the risk of developing breast cancer. Caveats: the results are based on self-reported information, and the different regimens of HRT may produce different results. {Washington Post Health, Nov. 26, 2002, Nov. 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine} Moderate physical activity over the course of a lifetime can reduce a young woman's risk of breast cancer by 33 percent, and after menopause by 26 percent. This exercise should begin in the teen years. Exercise reduces insulin levels, which are associated with an increased risk in cancer. { " Exercise and cancer prevention, " Nutrition Hints # 994, Betty Kamen, PhD, and Michael Rosenbaum, MD, from Psychooncology 2002 - Additional comments about this report on mercola.com} The results of fifty-three studies worldwide show that daily consumption of alcoholic beverages, equivalent to ten grams a day, raises the chances of developing breast cancer. This analysis includes data on 150,000 women, and shows a clear link between alcohol and breast cancer. It is believed that the pathway may involve changes in estrogen levels. {British Journal of Cancer 2002} Ten grams is approximately `one' alcoholic drink. Every drink you take causes thiamine loss, impaired B6 activation, folate loss, and increased magnesium excretion. If you are on hormone therapy, one or two glasses of wine causes a three-fold increase in estrogen circulating in the blood, and the levels begin to rise within ten minutes of taking a drink. Increased blood levels of estrogen heighten the risk of breast cancer. {From the book " Hormone Replacement Therapy: Yes or No, " by Betty Kamen - 2002} Stress increases the risk for developing breast cancer, and emotional stress affects several immune functions and the secretion of stress hormone. It should be noted that genetic predisposition to breast cancer is not as significant as lifestyle and other factors. { " Breast cancer and stress, " Betty Kamen, PhD, and Dr. Michael Rosenbaum, MD, " Nutrition Hints, " Jan. 2003} Alcohol use causes stress - see Alcohol and Stress on this Web site. Prostate Cancer The risk of prostate cancer was found to be increased according to the amount of alcohol consumed. {US TOO International, Inc., Prostate Cancer Survivor Support Groups, 1996} Like saturated fat, alcohol appears to raise prostate cancer by increasing the circulating levels of sex hormones, and men who drink the most alcohol were the most likely to die from prostate cancer, said a University of Massachusetts study. {Self Healing newsletter, Andrew Weil, MD, April 1999} Ways to lower risk without the use of alcohol: In the journal Cancer Causes and Control, UCLA research shows that, in a short time, exercises and dietary changes (Pritikin approach) can have a dramatic effect on inducing prostate cancer cells to die. {healthy.net, Jan. 21, 2003} http://www.jrussellshealth.com/alccanc.html JoAnn Guest mrsjoguest DietaryTipsForHBP http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Melanoma.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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