How Your Drinking Habits Might Affect Your Colon Health

Heavy drinking can seriously raise the chances of getting colon cancer over time. This is what a recent study found. It looked at how much alcohol people drank over their lives. The study showed that those who often have 14 or more drinks a week have a bigger risk of colon and rectal cancer. This is compared to people who drink very little or not at all. The study also found something interesting. People who quit drinking had a lower chance of getting pre-cancerous polyps in their colon. These are small growths that can turn into cancer.Researchers think alcohol might cause cancer in a few ways. It could be because of harmful substances made when the body breaks down alcohol. Or it could change the good bacteria in the gut. The study tracked the drinking habits of over 88, 000 Americans. It found that people who drank heavily all their adult life had a much higher risk of colon cancer. But those who quit drinking saw their risk drop. Moderate drinking, about seven to 13 drinks a week, was linked to a lower risk of colon cancer. But the study warns that more research is needed to understand why heavy drinking increases cancer risk.