Alcohol linked to seven types of cancer as warning issued
A cancer charity has highlighted that drinking alcohol can cause seven types of cancer. Posting on social media, Cancer Research UK shared a health alert, highlighting the risks. Sharing advice for the public on Instagram, the charity discussed some of the risks associated with the popular drinks.
Cancer Research UK said: “Alcohol causes seven types of cancer. All types of alcoholic drink increase the risk of cancer, as it’s the alcohol itself that causes damage – even in small amounts.”
The post continued: “Drinking less alcohol can reduce your risk of cancer. Here’s some handy tips to help you cut down.” Ways to reduce your alcohol intake:
- Keep track of your drinking habits.
- Have drink-free days.
- Swap to non-alcoholic alternatives.
- Don’t buy rounds of drinks.
- Don’t stock up at home.
- Be realistic and stick to it.
It adds: “Making a few changes to your drinking habits can make a big difference in helping you cut down your risk of cancer.” In the caption, Cancer Research UK added: “Cutting down on alcohol has lots of health benefits, and reduces your risk of cancer.”
Sharing more information, the Cancer Research UK website says that drinking alcohol can cause breast cancer, bowel cancer, mouth cancer, liver cancer, and some types of throat cancer. The charity said: “You may have heard that drinking alcohol can be good for the heart or help lower blood pressure.
“But NHS guidance on alcohol states that the evidence for any health benefits from alcohol is not clear. Research has shown there is no completely safe level of drinking, and the risk of cancer increases from drinking even small amounts of alcohol.”
The NHS website said that no level of drinking can be considered entirely ‘safe’, reports the Mirror. “If you drink less than 14 units a week, this is considered low-risk drinking. It’s called “low risk” rather than “safe” because there’s no safe drinking level,” the NHS explains. It says the type of illnesses you can develop after 10 to 20 years of regularly drinking more than 14 units a week include:
The NHS continued: “There’s also evidence that regular drinking at high-risk levels can make your mental health worse. Research has found strong links between alcohol misuse and self-harming, including suicide.”
People can find advice for cutting down on alcohol on the NHS website. For example, the tips include making a plan, setting a budget, and letting other people know so they can support you.
Sharing another tip, the NHS said: “Cut down the alcohol by swapping strong beers or wines for ones with a lower strength (ABV in %). You’ll find this information on the bottle.”
