Alcohol & Cancer
Current Research on Alcohol Consumption, Heart Disease and Cancer
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP
Alcohol consumption as it relates to the impact on heart disease and cancer has been a hot topic for many years.
Many people want to believe that the consumption of red wine is protective and for some even therapeutic for cardiovascular disease.
Unfortunately, strong peer-reviewed studies show the contrary.
The evidence is so overwhelming that even a small amount of alcohol is outright dangerous!
Many misinformed people have thought the consumption of alcohol (red wine for some) increased HDL-C, had vasodilatory properties and anti-platelet activity (it thins your blood).
For some die hard recreational alcohol consumers the mention of red wine brings dreams of beneficial antioxidants like resveratrol and vitamin E.
Well, it turns out none of those things are true.
Many of the studies cited by proponents of limited alcohol consumption were subject to selection bias.
Unfortunately for lovers of recreational alcohol the current and most rigorous research show the total opposite to be true.
More and more powerful studies now show that even small amounts of alcohol can increase your risk for cardiovascular disease like coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, fatty liver, and aneurysms.
A meta-analysis published in 2018 in The Lancet (The Lancet publishes the best science from the best scientists worldwide, providing an unparalleled global reach and impact on health) looked at 599,912 drinkers with over 5.4 million person years of follow up. They found that all-cause mortality increased at 100g per week of alcohol.
Alcohol intake was also with a higher risk of stroke, coronary disease, heart failure, fatal hypertensive disease, and fatal aortic aneurysm. Those who reported consuming more than 100g/week and up to 350g/week had a shorter life expectancy by age 40, by 6 months and up to 5 years for those who consumed the most.
Now for those who claim they consume minimal amounts of alcohol the news is not good.
A study published in March of 2023 found that people who drank 25 to 44 g per day of alcohol had a small risk of all-cause mortality.
The risk became more significant for those who drank 45 to 64 g or more per day. There were larger risk for
mortality among female drinkers compared to female lifelong nondrinkers.
The World Heart Federation examined all the data and studies on CVD and alcohol consumption and determined that no amount was safe in terms of cardiovascular disease, cancer risk, and other causes of mortality.
Good summary in the below reference on alcohol by World Heart Federation alone is pure gold.
The World Heart Federation unites the diverse cardiovascular community to bring cardiovascular health to the forefront of the global health agenda – a global community of heart foundations, scientific societies and patient organizations, united in our mission to achieve heart health for everyone.
If you want to optimize your heart and brain health, avoid alcohol or keep it to the bare minimum.
Alcohol Consumption and Cancer
There is a strong scientific evidence that alcohol drinking can cause several types of cancer.
The US Department of Health and Human Services lists consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen.
The evidence shows that the more alcohol a person drinks the higher his or her risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer. Even those who have no more than one drink per day have a modestly increased risk of some cancers. Based on data from 2009, an estimated 3.5% of cancer deaths in the United States (about 19,500 deaths) were alcohol related.
The following are the most researched between alcohol consumption and the development of the following types of cancer:
- Head and neck cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Liver cancer: Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with approximately 2-fold increased risks of two types of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma)
- Breast cancer: Pooled data from 118 individual studies indicates that light drinkers have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer, compared with nondrinkers.
- Colorectal cancer: Moderate to heavy alcohol consumption is associated with 1.2- to 1.5-fold increased risks of cancers of the colon and rectum compared with no alcohol consumption
In addition to the above alcohol related cancers evidence is accumulating that alcohol consumption is associated with increased risks of melanoma and of prostate and pancreatic cancers.
A strong peer reviewed study that included data from more than 1,000 alcohol studies and data sources, as well as death and disability records from 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2016, concluded that the optimal number of drinks to consume per day to minimize the overall risk to health is zero.
Dr. Grisanti's Comments:
For those who want to debate my article and stand firm of continuing to consume recreational alcohol clear and convincing evidence is strong that any potential benefits of alcohol consumption for reducing the risks of some cancers are likely outweighed by the harms of alcohol consumption.
References:
Cholesterol Truths-Mohammend Alo DO, FACC (Soon to be released)
https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(18)30134-X/fulltext (copy and paste link)
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2802963
//www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com/WorldHeartFederation.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22910838/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26286216/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29112463/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21307158/
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet
https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2023/cancer-alcohol-link-public-awareness
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/diet-physical-activity/alcohol-use-and-cancer.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4590626/
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health
https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/does-alcohol-cause-cancer.h00-159383523.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6705703/
https://www.thelancet.com/article/S1470-2045(21)00279-5/fulltext (copy and paste link)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27842506/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30146330/
** Always consult with a physician or healthcare practitioner with significant integrative or functional medicine training before starting any of the above recommendations.
You can find a qualified and certified functional medicine practitioner by going to: www.FunctionalMedicineDoctors.com
The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University's Certification Program (CFMP) www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Grisanti is required.
IGF-1 and Increased Cancer Risk and Improved Life Longevity
IGF-1 and Increased Cancer Risk and Improved Life Longevity
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP
IGF-1 stands for insulin-like growth factor
Significant peer reviewed medical papers clearly show that excessively low or high IGF-1 levels could lead to health problems.
In adults, a high IGF-1 level is linked to accelerated aging and an increased risk of cancer and premature death.
The insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) appears to be associated with several types of cancer, according to a new study published today in Cancer Research.
IGF-1 helps to support normal cell growth and development; processes which can lead to cancer if they become dysregulated. This study, a collaboration between the Cancer Epidemiology Unit (CEU) in NDPH, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, is the largest and most comprehensive investigation on IGF-1 and cancer risk to date.
It has clearly been shown that maintaining relatively low levels of IGF-1 level throughout most of one's adult life is an important factor by which people living past 100 years old are able to live that long without developing cancer.
On the other side of the spectrum is the fact that low IGF-1 in the elderly is linked to frailty and disease risk.
So IGF-1 is somewhat complex. It really comes down to maintaining adequate IGF-1 levels to prevent cancer and also to maintain bone mass, muscle mass and brain function at later ages.
So to prolong our lifespan, the goal is to maintain a relatively low IGF-1 throughout most of our adult life, and then as we get into our eighties and beyond, to consume enough protein so that our IGF-1 level does not get excessively low.
It is important to pay attention to our diet, to ensure our IGF-1 levels are favorable throughout life.
Important Point to Understand About IGF-1
Circulating IGF-1 is regulated by dietary protein intake, especially animal protein. Animal protein is more biologically complete, meaning it has high levels of all essential amino acids, so it can trigger excessive body production of IGF-1, whereas plant protein does not.
So the argument to eat protein that is biologically complete can be a double edge sword.
Yes, it may be the thought by those who are proponents of the bodybuilding/fitness world. However is it absolutely necessary to eat protein that is biologically complete to be healthy and build lean muscle mass?
The answer is: No
You can still obtain all of the necessary high quality protein from plant based protein which is not considered biologically complete.
From my research and deep study of this important issue, high amounts of biologically complete proteins can lead to a number of serious health issues like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes etc.
Even High-glycemic, refined carbohydrates can also raise IGF-1.
Although there will be those that will present peer reviewed papers showing that elevated levels of IGF-1 can actually be somewhat therapeutic for those suffering with cardiovascular disease, the benefits are far outweighed with the negative consequences of developing cancer and diabetes.
Optimal IGF-1 levels
IGF-1 levels on the low end and the high end of the spectrum were associated with increased risk of premature death.
For most adults, keeping IGF-1 below 175 ng/ml is likely important, and below 150 ng/ml should be even more protective. Serum IGF-1 levels below 80 ng/ml may be detrimental, especially after the age of 75.
The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study reported that the amount of animal products consumed by most Americans drives their IGF-1 into this danger zone (above 200), increasing their risk of cancer.
Restricting animal protein during most of one's adult life to maintain a relatively low, but not excessively low IGF-1, is an important objective for those desiring superior health and life extension.
Dr. Grisanti's Comments:
My deep dive into the issue of elevated IGF-1 and cancer clearly shows that excessive intake of animal protein although biologically complete is NOT necessary for optimal health and in fact could backfire leading to serious life threatening disease entities.
Some may say that I have joined the Vegan CAMP eating no more than 10 ounces of grass-fed protein per week. You would be correct. Since switching to a low animal vegan eating plan I have seen blood pressures, cardiovascular markers, diabetics markers, auto-immune markers improve better than I have ever witnessed.
The proof is just too overwhelming to go back to eating animal protein two times a day seven day a week.
Recommendations for those who want to learn more about nutritional excellence and longevity and the reversal of disease the following two books and video are worth studying:
Eat for Life: The Breakthrough Nutrient-Rich Program for Longevity, Disease Reversal, and Sustained Weight Loss by Joel Fuhrman M.D.
How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Michael Greger M.D. FACLM
YouTube Video with Dr. Joel Fuhrman worth watching
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGP31HToALI
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8844108/
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/igf-1-as-one-stop-cancer-shop/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiuDwxMkbs0
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15959790/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15562834/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16087968/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258605/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23015658/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00125-020-05190-9
https://cardiab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12933-023-01916-2
** Always consult with a physician or healthcare practitioner with significant integrative or functional medicine training before starting any of the above recommendations.
You can find a qualified and certified functional medicine practitioner by going to: www.FunctionalMedicineDoctors.com
The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University's Certification Program (CFMP) www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Grisanti is required
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