Low or high amount of alcohol could increase risk of over 60 diseases, new study finds

 

Any amount of alcohol could increase the risk of developing at least one of more than 60 diseases, according to new research published Thursday, June 8 in the journal Nature Medicine.

 

The 512,000 study participants, of whom 41% were men, were recruited from 10 areas across China.

Oxford University researchers studied the effects of alcohol on men in China, finding that even occasional drinkers were at a higher risk for certain conditions, including more than 30 illnesses that were not previously linked to alcohol.

“Alcohol consumption is adversely related to a much wider range of diseases than has previously been established, and our findings show these associations are likely to be causal,” lead study author Pek Kei Im, a research fellow at Oxford Population Health, said in a statement.

 

Of the participants, 33% of men admitted to consuming alcohol at least once per week, while only 2% of women said they were regular drinkers.

Among the male drinkers, 62% reported drinking daily and 37% confessed to engaging in heavy episodic drinking.

After a period of 12 years, the team of researchers found that drinking alcohol was associated with an increased risk of 61 diseases for men.

Of those, 28 ailments had already been tied to drinking, such as esophageal cancer, liver disease and diabetes.

But the remaining 33 had not been established as drinking-related illnesses, including stomach and lung cancers, gastric ulcers and gout.

Certain drinking patterns, like drinking every day or binge drinking, increased risks as well.

“It is becoming clear that the harmful use of alcohol is one of the most important risk factors for poor health, both in China and globally,” said senior study author Iona Millwood, an associate professor at Oxford Population Health.

“It is becoming clear that the harmful use of alcohol is one of the most important risk factors for poor health, both in China and globally,” said senior study author Iona Millwood, an associate professor at Oxford Population Health.

 

In January, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction unveiled updated health guidelines related to drinking.

Despite the myth that a glass of wine is the key to longevity, Canadian officials reported that “no amount or kind of alcohol is good for your health,” even in a “small amount.”