It’s one of the most widely accepted habits in modern life – a glass of wine with dinner, a cold beer after work.
But mounting evidence suggests that even these modest indulgences may quietly be increasing your risk of colon cancer, one of the deadliest – and often symptomless – forms of the disease.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), just two drinks a day could raise a man’s risk of developing colorectal cancer by nearly 40%.
For women, the danger appears to kick in at just one drink a day – far below what most would consider excessive. And some doctors think even that is too much.
‘From a cancer prevention standpoint, no amount of alcohol is considered entirely safe,’ Dr Cedrek McFadden, a colorectal surgeon in South Carolina, told the Daily Mail.
Dr McFadden said that while heavy drinking has long been known to raise the risk of several cancers, new research is painting a more alarming picture in which even moderate, socially acceptable drinking carries risk.
The findings come amid a broader reckoning in the medical community over how to explain a sharp rise in colon cancer cases in people under 50.
Though alcohol hasn’t been pinned as a primary cause for all young adults – Gen Z are drinking less than ever – it could partly explain why rates are rapidly rising millennials, who do still drink.
Health authorities have warned just one to two 16-ounce beers a day could raise colon cancer risk by up to 40% (stock image)
Earlier this week, Dr Harriet Rumgay, an epidemiologist at the WHO, cited research from the Telegraph estimating men who drink two 16-ounce beers a day are 38% more likely to develop colorectal cancer compared to those who don’t.
That’s regardless of family history, diet and other factors that may raise one’s risk.
Researchers believe 30 grams of ethanol per day, or around four units, is where the significant risk threshold for colorectal cancer starts.
That’s the equivalent of two 16-ounce, extra-strength beers – which have 6% or more alcohol by volume (ABV) – or two 6-ounce glasses of wine.
Women are generally recommended to drink half the amount of alcohol as men because negative health effects take hold at lower levels.
The threshold for women would be one 16-ounce beer a day, which is equivalent to a large glass of wine.
Sarah Jefferies, health advisor at Emergency First Aid At Work Course in the UK, told the Daily Mail that this estimation ‘lines up with what we’ve seen in the data.’
She explained that women ‘tend to metabolize alcohol differently and may be more susceptible to its harmful effects at lower volumes.’
Experts believe when the liver breaks down ethanol in alcohol, it creates the toxic chemical acetaldehyde, which triggers inflammation in the colon.
A standard drink in the US is 12 ounces of beer, a shot of liquor or five ounces of wine, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
The National Cancer Institute Alcohol and Cancer Risk Fact sheet gathered decades of research that investigated the link between cancer and alcohol. They determined clear evidence of a link to seven types of cancer, including colorectal cancer
This damages DNA and leads to uncontrolled cell growth.
Alcohol also inhibits the body’s ability to absorb folate, an essential nutrient for DNA repair. Low folate has consistently been linked to higher colon cancer rates.
And because alcohol is dehydrating, the lack of water content in the digestive system leads to constipation.
When stool can’t regularly move through the digestive tract, harmful bacteria inside it are more likely to cling to the colon and damage DNA.
Jefferies said, ‘It’s not necessarily about the type of alcohol – beer, wine, spirits or even trendy hard kombucha – the main culprit is ethanol itself.
‘However, drinks that are high in sugar or calories could have a compounding effect by contributing to obesity, which is another known risk factor for colorectal cancer.’
Other recent research shows even just one glass could also raise the risk.
Dr Rumgay cited a 2022 study that found one three-unit 16-ounce beer a day was linked to a 17% increased risk of colon cancer in men compared to those who don’t drink at all.
Taking into account the US recommendations for alcohol consumption, this would mean one three-unit 8-ounce beer would raise this risk for women.
These figures don’t take into account factors like obesity, exercise and diet, which could further induce cancer-causing inflammation in the colon.
Heather Candrilli, who was born on Staten Island, is pictured here with her son, Lucas. She was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer at age 36
Bailey Hutchins of Tennessee, pictured here, died of colon cancer earlier this year at age 26
While the data shows a link between colon cancer and using alcohol, it contradicts the recent decline of the habit in younger groups.
Millennials and Gen Z are generally drinking less than their parents. The latest Gallup research shows 62% of American adults under 35 drink alcohol compared to 72% in the early 2000s.
However, binge drinking – four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men in one sitting – is on the rise in Gen Z women.
Research published earlier this year in JAMA found women ages 18 to 25 had higher rates of binge drinking than men in the same age group for the first time.
Jefferies said, ‘The rise in colon cancer among younger people is alarming, and while research is still developing, lifestyle factors like binge drinking, particularly among younger women, may be part of the explanation.
‘The sharp spikes in blood alcohol levels during binge episodes create acute inflammation and stress on the digestive system, and if repeated over time, this could contribute to an increased lifetime risk.’
Marisa Peters (left) was diagnosed with rectal cancer at age 38 after five years of ignored symptoms. Former professional baseball player Trey Mancini (right) found out he had stage three colon cancer at age 28
To minimize risk, Dr McFadden suggests either following the current US recommendations for alcohol consumption or abstaining completely, especially if you have a family history of colon cancer.
He told the Mail that ‘While having an occasional drink is a personal choice, from a medical and cancer prevention perspective, less is better.’
He said limiting to one drink per day maximum for woman and two for men is ideal, ‘though zero is safest when it comes to cancer.’
The stark warning comes as 154,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, including 20,000 under 50 years old.
And the latest data shows early-onset colorectal cancer diagnoses in the US are expected to rise 90% in people 20 to 34 years old between 2010 and 2030.
In the UK, the disease strikes 44,000 and kills 16,800 a year. Rates in Brits have surged 50% in 25- to 49-year-olds since the 1990s.
