Alcohol and Health: Risks, Myths, and Benefits

Chapter 13. Alcohol and Drinking: Heart-Healthy or Cancer Risk Factor?

This chapter explores alcohol’s effects on human health, chronic disease, mental health, and well-being. It explains how drinking habits vary by culture, religion, socioeconomic status, and social norms, noting the rise of binge and solo drinking in the US. The chapter describes alcohol’s immediate and long-term effects on the brain and body. It highlights alcohol’s pleasurable effects while describing its potential for addiction, depression, cardiovascular disease, and many cancers, particularly breast cancer and colorectal cancer. It evaluates the French Paradox, which shows lower heart disease in France and Japan compared to the US, thought to be attributable to red wine and its phytochemical resveratrol, also found in Japanese tea. Finally, it compares the nutritional differences between wine, beer, cocktails, and spirits while underscoring that no level of alcohol consumption is risk-free due to its toxic by-product acetaldehyde, despite the clear social benefits light and moderate drinking provides in some cultures.