Even light drinking increases cancer risk in older adults: Study

Dr Rosario Ortolá, an assistant professor of preventive medicine and public health at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and lead author of the study, stated, “We did not find evidence of a beneficial association between low drinking and mortality.” She added, “Alcohol probably raises the risk of cancer from the first drop.”

This study contributes to a growing body of evidence shifting the alcohol research paradigm. New methodologies are being used to address perceived flaws in earlier studies, which suggested benefits of drinking. The research compares moderate and occasional drinkers with abstainers, who may include individuals who stopped drinking due to illness, possibly skewing previous results.

The study arrives as US guidelines on alcohol consumption are under review. Two scientific groups are preparing reports for an update to the US Dietary Guidelines. One group is an intergovernmental subcommittee with health agency representatives, while the other, funded by Congress, is convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

Initially, Dr Kenneth Mukamal from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, was nominated to one committee. His $100 million trial on moderate drinking was halted in 2018 after it was revealed he sought funding from the alcohol industry. NASEM withdrew his nomination but replaced him with another Harvard scientist with industry ties.

Current US dietary guidelines advise, “Drinking less is better for health than drinking more,” with recommendations of one drink per day for women and two for men. The rise in alcohol use in the US has led to a nearly 30 per cent increase in deaths from excessive drinking between 2016-2017 and 2020-2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Internationally, recommendations are becoming more conservative. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction now advises that no amount of alcohol is beneficial to health, noting that even small amounts can be harmful. The World Health Organization (WHO) also warns that low levels of alcohol consumption can pose health risks, although most harm comes from heavy drinking.

The study found that older adults who were light drinkers and had health or socioeconomic risk factors faced higher death risks. However, drinking mostly wine and consuming alcohol only with meals moderated the risk of cancer death. The reasons for this are not entirely clear but might relate to slower alcohol absorption or other healthy lifestyle choices.

Overall, moderate drinking — defined as 20 to 40 grams per day for men and 10 to 20 grams for women — was linked to a higher risk of death from all causes and cancer. Heavier drinking was associated with increased deaths from all causes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

– With inputs from The New York Times

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