Alcohol can feel deeply entwined in our lives. A beer or glass of wine while catching up with friends. A cocktail at the end of a hard day. A round of toasts at a party.
It’s hard to believe that such seemingly innocent behavior reduces our immunity to infectious disease and raises the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases — but according to science, it does.
“Alcohol is inherently toxic. We use alcohol to disinfect; we use alcohol to kill organisms. So, the question is, is any amount of it safe?” said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver.
A growing number of studies say “no.”
In fact, the latest data finds drinking alcohol is directly responsible for 62 different disorders, including alcohol-related heart disease, psychotic disorder, gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis and fatty liver disease, as well as more well-known conditions such as fetal alcohol syndrome and cirrhosis of the liver.
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