According to new research published Thursday, June 8 in the journal Nature Medicine, any amount of alcohol may increase the risk of acquiring at least one of more than 60 diseases.
The 512,000 study participants, 41% of whom were men, were drawn from ten cities in China.
Researchers from Oxford University researched the effects of alcohol on men in China and discovered that even casual drinkers were at a higher risk for certain disorders, including more than 30 ailments that had not previously been related to alcohol.
“Alcohol consumption is adversely related to a much wider range of diseases than has previously been established, and our findings show these associations are likely to be causal,” lead study author Pek Kei Im, a research fellow at Oxford Population Health, said in a statement.
33% of men claimed to drinking alcohol at least once per week, while only 2% of women acknowledged to being regular drinkers.
62% of male drinkers reported drinking everyday, and 37% admitted to significant episodic drinking.
After a 12-year study, the researchers discovered that drinking alcohol was connected with an elevated risk of 61 diseases in men.
28 of those had already been linked to drinking, including esophageal cancer, liver illness, and diabetes.
However, the remaining 33 ailments, including stomach and lung malignancies, gastric ulcers, and gout, had not been proved as drinking-related.
Certain drinking patterns, like drinking every day or binge drinking, increased risks as well.
“It is becoming clear that the harmful use of alcohol is one of the most important risk factors for poor health, both in China and globally,” said senior study author Iona Millwood, an associate professor at Oxford Population Health.
“It is becoming clear that the harmful use of alcohol is one of the most important risk factors for poor health, both in China and globally,” said senior study author Iona Millwood, an associate professor at Oxford Population Health.
In January, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction unveiled updated health guidelines related to drinking.
Despite the myth that a glass of wine is the key to longevity, Canadian officials reported that “no amount or kind of alcohol is good for your health,” even in a “small amount.”
