Alcoholic beverages must carry labels warning of cancer risks. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said: in report Friday.
The report cites a direct link between alcohol consumption and at least seven types of cancer, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and mouth cancer. An estimated 16.4% of all breast cancer cases are associated with alcohol use.
According to the report, approximately 100,000 people in the United States develop alcohol-related cancers and approximately 20,000 people die from alcohol-related cancers each year. Alcohol is the third leading cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity.
Although research has shown a link between alcohol and cancer, “the vast majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Murthy said in a statement.
If you drink alcohol, you’re probably familiar with current health warning labels, such as:
Government warning: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy due to the risk of birth defects. (2) Consuming alcoholic beverages may impair your ability to drive a car or operate machinery and may cause health problems.
The current warning “has long informed consumers about the potential risks of alcohol consumption. Many lifestyle choices come with potential risks,” a statement on behalf of companies that make alcoholic beverages said. Dr. Amanda Berger, senior vice president of scientific research at the Distilled Spirits Council, an industry group, said in a statement.
She added that the organization “does not encourage anyone to drink alcohol for health benefits.”
Can the damage caused by alcohol be reversed?
The new report may provide further inspiration for those following Dry January or planning to cut down on alcohol or quit smoking. According to experts, the body can heal some of the negative effects of alcohol.
“Some of the damage may be permanent, but some of it may be reversible,” said Dr. Wei Zheng, director of the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Ta. “Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink will definitely reduce your future risks.”
Recommendations will come out in a few weeks. Main report found that compared with abstinence, moderate drinking was associated with a lower risk of death. But at the same time, scientists have found that it also increases the risk of breast cancer.
The report was commissioned by Congress and conducted by a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to examine the relationship between moderate drinking and a number of outcomes, including death from all causes and mortality. This is a review of research conducted up to the year. Heart disease, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, weight changes, Alzheimer’s disease, and more.
Women are particularly susceptible to the effects of alcohol because they process and metabolize it differently than men, says Dr. Jamie Koprivniker, an oncologist at Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. He said it was easy. “We find that they are more likely to exhibit potential toxicity at lower doses or doses than men.”
And a 2023 study found that alcohol-related deaths among women have increased dramatically in recent years.
The report says alcohol can cause cancer in a number of ways, including damage to DNA and changes in hormone levels.
As well as new warning labels, the Surgeon General’s report also recommends a reassessment of guideline limits for alcohol intake to take cancer risks into account. Current dietary guidelines We encourage people to consume alcohol in moderation, defined as two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.
Outside experts praised the idea of putting cancer warning labels on alcoholic drinks.
“Despite decades of compelling evidence of this link, too many people remain unaware of the risks of alcohol,” Dr. Bruce Scott, president of the American Medical Association, said in a statement. ” he said. The report, “coupled with encouraging updates to the Surgeon General’s health warning labels on alcoholic beverages, will raise awareness, improve health and save lives.”
Changes to beverage labels require parliamentary approval.
This year’s update to federal dietary guidelines will include new recommendations for how much alcohol people should consume.
A report on alcohol consumption by a group within the Department of Health and Human Services is expected to be released in the coming weeks. This report will help determine dietary guidelines for 2025.
