Many studies have found a connection between alcohol consumption and colorectal cancer. Most of these studies suggest that the link becomes stronger the more alcohol you consume.
Consuming alcohol in moderate to large quantities can have many negative health effects, including increasing your chance of developing colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer develops in your large intestines or your rectum.
Read on to learn more about the connection between drinking alcohol and the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
Alcohol consumption is a
Alcohol found in alcoholic drinks is called ethanol. The breakdown of ethanol by your gastrointestinal tract can generate toxic substances like
Ethanol may also cause changes to your gut’s microbiome that cause bowel inflammation and possibly activate enzymes that make you more prone to developing cancer.
What are 95% confidence intervals?
When reporting cancer risk, researchers often give 95% confidence intervals (CI) to help account for statistical error.
For example, if researchers report the chances of developing cancer are 50% higher in a certain population with 95% CI from 40–60%, there’s a 95% chance that this group of people have between a 40–60% increased cancer risk.
Alcohol use disorder and colorectal cancer
In a large
- habitual alcohol consumption
- loss of control over alcohol intake
- negative emotional state when not using alcohol
The researchers found that people with alcohol use disorder had a 63.1% higher chance of developing colorectal cancer (95% CI between 56.5% and 69.9%) than people without alcohol use disorder.
The risk became higher with a longer duration of alcohol use disorder, reaching 167% (95% confidence intervals of 151.1–198.9%) after 11 years.
Heavy drinking and colorectal cancer
In a
They found:
- drinking up to two drinks per day was associated with an 8% lower risk (95% confidence intervals of 2–12%) of developing colorectal cancer compared with not drinking or occasional drinking
- drinking two to three drinks per day was not associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer (11% higher risk with 99% CI ranging from 1% lower to 24% higher)
- drinking more than three drinks per day was associated with a 25% higher risk of colorectal cancer (95% CI 11–40%)
Drinking alcohol in an attempt to lower the risk of getting cancer is not recommended, as the negative effects of alcohol outweigh the potential benefits.
Alcohol consumption and early colorectal cancer risk
In a
The researchers found that 8,314 people developed colorectal cancer during the 10-year study period. Light drinkers had a 9% (95% CI 2–16%) higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than non-drinkers. Heavy drinkers had a 20% higher chance (95% CI 11–29%).
Alcohol consumption and early colorectal cancer risk by ethnicity
In a
- Black
- Native Hawaiian
- Japanese-American
- Latino
- white
The researchers found an increased risk of colorectal cancer with alcohol consumption among all of these groups other than Black. They also found alcohol consumption was associated with a higher risk among people with:
- lower body mass index
- no usage of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NAID) drugs
- lower fiber intake
- lower folate intake
Alcohol and other types of cancer
According to the
| Cancer | Risk |
|---|---|
| head and neck cancer | 1.8 times increased risk for moderate drinkers |
| esophageal cancer | 1.3 times increased risk for light drinkers and 5 times increased risk for heavy drinkers |
| liver cancer | 2 times increased risk for heavy alcohol consumption |
| breast cancer | 1.04 times increased risk for light drinking, 1.23 times increased risk for moderate drinking, and 1.6 times risk for heavy drinking |
Researchers are investigating the compound resveratrol found in grapes for possible health effects, such as cancer prevention. According to the
In a 2023
Approximately
Consuming alcohol has been
It may take years for the risk of cancer to fall to the same risk for people who never drank heavily.
According to the
Other lifestyle habits that may reduce your risk of colorectal cancer include:
- increasing physical activity
- maintaining a healthy weight
- limiting alcohol consumption (if you drink)
- avoiding tobacco (if you smoke)
- making dietary changes like reducing animal fat intake and increasing:
- fruits
- vegetables
- whole grains
Alcohol consumption is a well-established risk factor for the development of colorectal cancer. The risk seems to be highest if you drink heavily for many years.
Reducing your alcohol consumption may help lower your risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, it may take many years for your risk to drop to that of somebody who never drank heavily.
