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Cancer is the leading cause of death among people across the world. And with changing lifestyles, the disease is now also grappling the youngsters. Even though treatments for this dreadful disease have also advanced and have become effective – along with early detection techniques, the mortality rate is still concerning. While there are various factors that cause cancer – alcohol is an important risk factor.

However, popularly it is believed that red wine consumption can lower the risk of cancer. Is it true?

“Red wine is often praised for its potential health benefits due to antioxidants like resveratrol which within laboratory studies is associated with possible cancer-preventive effects. Resveratrol has shown promising applications in inhibiting the growth of tumors and slowing the spread of cancer cells while also encouraging the death of those cancer cells,” Dr. Sachin Trivedi, Director, of Medical Oncology, HCG Cancer Center, told Times Now.

“However, such concentrations of resveratrol would never be found in a glass of red wine; therefore, it is unlikely that moderate wine consumption alone would provide similar cancer-protective benefits as demonstrated in laboratory studies,” he added.

According to Dr. Trivedi, alcohol itself is a carcinogen of concern for causing significant cancer risks. Classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, the consumption of alcohol is associated with significantly increased risks of cancers of the breast, liver, and colon, among others.

When alcohol is metabolized, it produces acetaldehyde toxic compound that leads to changes in the DNA and interrupts cellular activity in line with an enhanced risk for cancer. “Alcohol also affects nutrient absorption and undermines cell immunity, effectively reducing the ability of the body to detect and fight cancerous cells,” said Dr. Trivedi.

Even moderate consumption comes with increased cancer risk, especially breast cancer, and no amount of alcohol has been proven entirely safe in terms of cancer risk reduction.

In a few studies, red wine has been associated with cardiovascular benefits. The phenomenon of the "French Paradox" - where the French population seemed to have low rates of heart disease despite diets high in saturated fats, led to initial belief in the consumption of wine in moderate amounts.

Experts say this contradiction has led to widespread interest in moderate wine drinking as potentially health-promoting.

While some studies indicate that red wine antioxidants offer limited health benefits, the dangers associated with drinking alcohol are well-known and greatly outweigh such benefits. A healthy lifestyle, in which proper nutrition is balanced by regular physical activity and minimum drinking of alcohol, is much better at preventing cancer. Although the antioxidants in red wine are doing their work, antioxidant sources, similar to those in red wine, also exist in non-alcoholic substances such as fruits, vegetables, and other teas.

In summary, although moderate red wine consumption may have potential health benefits relating to heart health, it is no substitute for the prevention of cancer risk. A much more balanced and low-alcohol lifestyle is much more effective for those concerned with the risk of cancer.

“The key to cancer prevention remains a balanced diet, regular exercise, and avoiding known carcinogens like tobacco and excessive alcohol. As per American Cancer Society guidelines, any level of alcohol is considered a risk for carcinogenesis from alcohol,” said Dr. Sewanti Limaye, Director of Medical Oncology, at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital.

Dr. Limaye also added that resveratrol does have the potential to slow the progression of certain cancers, including breast and colorectal cancers, but the evidence is not conclusive enough to recommend alcohol as a cancer-fighting strategy.

“In summary, while red wine may have some promising compounds, it should not be considered a cancer treatment,” she said.

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