Hi everyone
Does anyone have any information of the harm or otherwise of alcohol (wine in my case) on breast cancer. Appparently, folate from food and/or folic acid can cancel out the possible harm. I’d be grateful for opinions/knowledge.
Many thanks
Dee
I believe that regular consumption of alcohol increases the risk of bc. The more you drink the more your risk increases incrementally.
No idea about folic acid. I have become teetotal since dx which may be an over-reaction but I like to feel empowered!
Molly
Have read that some Doctors dismiss this idea completely, but as with everything else it’s one thing one month and one thing another.
When I first read there MAY be a link I bought Folic Acid and take one a day because I also read of the benfits to drinkers. ( Wine also in my case)
Norma
I have read /heard that bc is the only cancer where a little red wine may do more harm than good however the ssame source[wish I could remember]said that white and especially sparkling white did no harm in moderation so bring on the champers girls!
I can’t remember the source either but I do recall one of the studies behind the recent paranoia indicated that drink did increase the risk but mainly in older women and didn’t have any statistical significance for people who have been diagnosed ie did not increase risk of recurrence.
If I come across the research paper again I’ll put the title in here.
Ive asked about this as love my wine, and was told that there’s something different every week and the government seemed to be using it as a stat to cut down on binge drinking - I was told to have what I want just try not to go overboard - I have lots of friends who drink the same as me and they dont have it so I think its a combination of lots of factors and you could end up doing or eating, drinking nothing if you go by everything that is said
The research on this was done by Cancer Research UK it has nothing to do with the Govt.
Take a look at their website - it makes for sobering reading (sorry!)
info.cancerresearchuk.org/healthyliving/alcohol/howdoweknow/#Cancer
They reckon that alcohol causes 2,000 cases of breast cancer a year.
Molly
I can never understand these studies. Is it because out of the thousands of women diagnosed every year, that 2000 of them drink? Couldn’t this apply to women who eat cheese, read meat, drink milk and so on and so forth. The list is endless and as already mentioned what will it be next week?
x
No - booze and breast cancer risk has been extremely well researched and studies all over the world have proven the link.
Have a look at who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/who_fao_expert_report.pdf
World Health Organisation - “there is now a large body of data from well designed studies which consistently shows a small increase in risk with an increase in consumption with a 10% increase in risk for an average of one alcoholic drink every day.”
Devastating for someone like me who would rather drink Guinness than eat.
Molly
I agree Normski.
Conclusions could be reached about lots of these things and only some environmental factors have been studied so I take them with a bucket of salt myself and balanced with the other information I’m given that isn’t part of some campaign (I’m wary of anything featuring in a campaign as there’s always a motive otherwise why campaign?)
That said there’s a lady I know who’s taking part in a study of wider lifestyle aspects and instances of BC, Her sister had BC and they were both invited onto the study and they are approaching it much more broadly and looking at patterns rather than for a specific link between A and B which is often the approach behind these papers.
I just scanned that paper, went to the bibliography and googled down the papers they’re citing and the very first paper I found had this in it’s little online conclusion:
“Conclusions.— Alcohol consumption is associated with a linear increase in breast cancer incidence in women over the range of consumption reported by most women. Among women who consume alcohol regularly, reducing alcohol consumption is a potential means to reduce breast cancer risk.”
This is from Alcohol and Breast Cancer in Women
A Pooled Analysis of Cohort Studies
Not to say one of the other papers hasn’t reached a different conculsion but you honestly could drive yourself mad trying to work out which of the so many environmental factors are behind BC. Hence me sticking to the old adage of “all things in moderation”, or at least that’s my plan after my “To hell with it I need to be spoilt for a bit” approach.
Yikes, need the will power here and find it totally lacking. I shouldn;t drink so much wine, I should lose weight ( niot a lot) and should excercise more. I KNOW but then I work 8.30 to 5 , come home unwind with OH with a couple of glasses, feed cats, cook dinner, fall asleep in front of TV , then go to bed. Sounds so innocent doesn’t it?,
Love and appreciate all your view.
Norma x