Alcohol and cancer prevention

WCRF UK recommends that if consumed at all, you should limit alcoholic drinks to two for men and one for women a day.

For cancer prevention, we recommend not to drink alcohol at all. But we recognise that modest amounts of alcohol may have a protective effect on heart disease. But the benefits of small amounts of alcohol only outweigh the risk in those particularly at risk of heart disease, such as men aged over 40 or postmenopausal women.

What is a ‘drink’?

As a rough guide, a drink contains about 10-15g of pure alcohol, so one drink is the same as:

• half a pint of normal strength (3-5% ABV*) beer, lager or cider
• one 25ml measure of spirits (40% ABV*), such as vodka or whisky
• one small 125ml glass of wine (12-13% ABV*)

This information is useful as a guide, but remember that in recent years both the serving size and strength of some alcoholic drinks have increased making it easy to drink more alcohol than we realise.

The NHS has a handy alcoholic drinks calculator that you can use to work out how much you drink.

Scientific evidence on alcohol and cancer

The evidence that all types of alcoholic drinks are a cause of a number of cancers is now stronger than ever before.

There is convincing evidence that alcohol increases the risk of cancer of the

• mouth, pharynx and larynx
• oesophagus
• breast
• bowel cancer in men

Alcohol also probably increases the risk of liver cancer as well as bowel cancer in women.

Scientists are still researching how alcohol causes cancer. One theory is that alcohol can directly damage our DNA, increasing our risk of cancer. Research shows that alcohol is particularly harmful when combined with smoking.

Tips for reducing your alcohol intake

• When ordering drinks, opt for the smallest serving size. Avoid double measures of spirits, which are often encouraged as ‘better value’.
• Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Dilute alcoholic drinks or opt for low calorie/ low-alcohol alternatives. For example, opt for a white wine spritzer rather than a full glass of wine.
• Aim to keep a few nights each week alcohol free.

Find out about our other Recommendations for Cancer Prevention

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