A major scientific review has issued a strong warning about the impact of alcohol on health, confirming that its consumption is linked to dozens of diseases and various forms of damage.
Researchers from the World Health Organization have analyzed the current evidence on the health burden caused by alcohol and have concluded that it is linked to more than 60 diseases. The study, published in the scientific journal Addiction, highlights that some harm caused by alcohol can be improved if consumption is reduced or stopped.
According to the authors, alcohol is directly responsible for several serious health conditions, including alcoholic liver disease, such as cirrhosis, and fetal alcohol syndrome. These are considered by the WHO to be diseases that are fully linked to alcohol consumption, especially in cases of heavy and long-term use.
However, the impact of alcohol is not limited to the diseases it directly causes. The scientific review highlights that alcohol increases the risk of a number of problems in different organs and systems of the body.
This includes several types of cancer, such as cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, breast, and cervix. Alcohol is also linked to cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, and ischemic heart disease.
The study also mentions an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, neurological diseases such as dementia and epilepsy, as well as gastrointestinal problems, including pancreatitis.
Another important finding is the link between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. This is mainly related to the impact of alcohol on the immune system, but also to behaviors that can increase exposure to infections.
Alcohol also significantly increases the risk of injury, as it impairs balance, reaction time and the ability to judge correctly. As a result, the likelihood of accidents, violence and traffic-related injuries increases. According to researchers, these risks can also occur during episodes of intoxication and depend on the amount consumed, but also on the circumstances in which consumption occurs.
The review notes that some of the effects of alcohol can improve after stopping or reducing consumption. Short-term risks, such as injuries or infections related to intoxication, decrease after alcohol use stops. Some effects on the heart and blood vessels can improve within days or weeks of abstinence, while certain immune system functions can recover over time.
However, the authors warn that heavy, long-term alcohol use can cause lasting damage. Diseases such as cirrhosis or heart problems are not always fully reversible, although stopping alcohol can slow their progression.
The study also addresses the debate over whether low alcohol consumption may have any protective effect on cardiovascular health. According to the authors, some previous observational studies have suggested possible benefits for ischemic heart disease and stroke, but more recent evidence, including genetic analysis, remains inconclusive.
The researchers' conclusion is that there is not enough evidence to completely rule out any possible protective effect, but that does not change the fact that the overall harms of alcohol far outweigh the potential benefits.
The study's lead author, Sinclair Carr from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, emphasizes that alcohol is a major cause of disease and injury, while its negative impact on health remains more important than any potential benefits.
Other research has consistently linked alcohol consumption to an increased risk of several types of cancer, including breast, colon, liver, and head and neck cancer. Alcohol is thought to contribute to cancer development through oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic breakdown into acetaldehyde, a substance that can damage DNA.
In women, alcohol can also increase estrogen levels, a factor linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, around 8 percent of breast cancer cases in the United Kingdom are linked to alcohol consumption, with the risk increasing with the average daily amount consumed. /GazetaExpress/
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