What Is Considered To Be An Excessive Amount Of Alcohol Consumption?

Excessive consumption of alcohol is defined as eight or more drinks per week. Since the physiology of both men and women is different, the number of drinks considered excessive for both genders is different, said a doctor.

How much alcohol should you drink? If you were to ask this question to a doctor, they would say, not even a drop. But, across the world, a certain percentage/amount of alcohol consumption is considered acceptable. It is also a known fact that when one drinks excessive amounts of alcohol, there is a significant risk for many malignancies and diseases. Alcohol-related cancers are estimated to be 5.5 per cent of all cancers treated annually, said Dr Harshit Shah, associate consultant-surgical oncology, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan. He added that alcohol increases the risk of numerous types of cancer, particularly those associated with oropharyngeal and larynx cancer, esophageal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, and colon cancer.

What is considered to be an excessive amount of alcohol consumption?

The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) considers a standard drink as one that contains roughly 14 g of pure alcohol, which is the equivalent of 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits like scotch, whisky or vodka (approximately 40 per cent alcohol by volume); 5 ounces of wine (about 12 per cent alcohol by volume); or 12 ounces of regular beer (about five per cent alcohol by volume).

"Excessive consumption of alcohol -- heavy drinking -- is defined as eight or more drinks per week. Since the physiology of both men and women is different, the number of drinks considered excessive for both genders is different. More than four or more drinks per day for men is excessive; more than three drinks per day or more than fifteen per week is considered excessive drinking for women. Moderate drinking is viewed as up to one drink daily for women, and up to two for men.

Link between alcohol consumption and cancer

"A population-based study on approximately 3,000 women by Terry MB et al. estimated an approximate 30-50 per cent increase in breast cancer risk from 15-30 grams/day of alcohol consumption (about 1-2 drinks/day). Recent American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) report estimated a five per cent increase in premenopausal breast cancer per 10 grams of alcohol consumed daily. The risk was even more significant for post-menopausal breast cancer for each 10 grams of alcohol daily," the doctor said.

He added that a higher consumption amount of alcohol has been shown to increase 'circulating estrogen levels'. "When estrogen rises beyond a certain level, it can induce hormone-mediated cell proliferation and cause genetic alterations."

Dr Shah further explained that acetaldehyde (AA) is a common name of ethanal, and according to researchers, heavy drinking leads to elevated acetaldehyde levels, which can lead to inhibited ALDH enzymes, thereby causing adverse effects in the body. "High levels of AA have a direct role in breast cancer pathogenesis and tumorigenesis. Since alteration in estrogen levels can lead to changes in breast density, it becomes a definite factor for breast cancer," he warned.

"Mammographic density, a measure of epithelial and connective tissue in the breast, is an intermediate marker of breast cancer risk. A woman with a higher mammographic density has a 4-6-fold increased risk of breast cancer. While age is an independent and non-modifiable risk factor, cumulative consumption of alcohol over the years can significantly increase the risk of this cancer," he stated.