The health of mothers and babies is the foundation of healthy families and communities, helping ensure hopeful futures for us all.
World Health Day, celebrated on 7 April 2025, will kick off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. The campaign, titled Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.
WHO and partners will also share useful information to support healthy pregnancies and births, and better postnatal health.
This task is critical. Tragically, based on currently published estimates, close to 300 000 women lose their life due to pregnancy or childbirth each year, while over 2 million babies die in their first month of life and around 2 million more are stillborn. That’s roughly 1 preventable death every 7 seconds.
Based on current trends, a staggering 4 out of 5 countries are off track to meet targets for improving maternal survival by 2030. 1 in 3 will fail to meet targets for reducing newborn deaths.
Listening to women and supporting families
Women and families everywhere need high quality care that supports them physically and emotionally, before, during and after birth.
Health systems must evolve to manage the many health issues that impact maternal and newborn health. These not only include direct obstetric complications but also mental health conditions, noncommunicable diseases and family planning.
Additionally, women and families should be supported by laws and policies that safeguard their health and rights.
Campaign goals
To raise awareness about gaps in maternal and newborn survival and the need to prioritize women’s longer-term well-being.
To advocate for effective investments that improve the health of women and babies.
To encourage collective action to support parents as well as health professionals who provide critical care.
To provide useful health information relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.
Get involved
Here’s what you can do to support the campaign:
Spread awareness: share information about the campaign using #HopefulFutures and #HealthForAll.
Participate: attend our global events to learn more about what it will take to end maternal and newborn mortality.
Donate: contribute to the WHO Foundation which supports WHO’s work to protect mothers and babies in countries around the world.
Let’s start with some simple facts. Alcohol is a toxin. Alcohol is a factor in1: 30% of suicides 40% of fatal burn injuries 50% of fatal drownings 50% of homicides 65% of fatal falls 29% of fatal road traffic accidents Globally, alcohol is responsible for 3 million deaths per year; in the United States, it is the third leading cause of preventable death23. It is hard to see the upside when you see these figures. So let’s go a little deeper. First off, I drink alcohol. Not a lot. But I do drink. So any comments made here are not some puritanical position on alcohol but reflections on the data that exist in the literature. Multiple studies have demonstrated that excess alcohol consumption, usually defined as consuming greater than 2 to 4 drinks per day, is associated with worse outcomes and a greater likelihood of dying when compared to someone who drinks less than 2 to 4 drinks per day4. Alcohol Dosing and Total Mortality in Men and Women: An Updated Meta-analysis of 34 Prospective Studies. Arch Intern Med.2006
In the study shown above, females start to accrue an increased risk at greater than two drinks per day on average and males at greater than four drinks per day.
These findings shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
Surprisingly, on average, individuals who consume less than two drinks per day appear to have better outcomes than those who do not drink at all. This is where things start to get a little counterintuitive, and the story of alcohol being beneficial for you starts to appear.
This relationship is known as a ‘U’ shaped curve where those in the middle have the best outcomes, and those on the edges have worse outcomes. A kind of ‘Goldilocks’ relationship; “Not too hot. Not too cold. Just right.”
How might we explain this?
Enter the darling of the 1990s, Resveratrol. This compound in red wine spawned the mantra that red wine was ‘good for your heart’. This was based on research that suggested that it might reduce cholesterol levels, among other things.
But to consume the levels of Resveratrol tested in some of the animal studies that demonstrated benefit, you would have to drink 40 litres of wine…… Per day.
Not exactly a feasible strategy. Even with the best will in the world.
Let’s look at a more plausible explanation.
Data on alcohol consumption and outcomes are almost always based on observational data, not randomised controlled trials. This means that other factors or ‘confounders’ may explain the difference between the groups, not the alcohol consumption alone.
When you look at the trials that suggest a benefit of modest alcohol consumption, you will often find that this group tend to exercise more, smoke less, be in a higher socioeconomic bracket etc. This is referred to as a ‘healthy user bias’ and is likely to explain the difference between the groups.
Most trials try to correct or adjust for these confounders, but in truth, it is very hard to do. A recent publication looked at this problem and attempted to (as much as possible) correct for these ‘healthy user’ bias factors and then compare outcomes between alcohol consumption groups. The results were a little more in line with what we might expect.
Those in the lowest alcohol consumption category had the best lifestyle factors overall. When these healthy factors were corrected for, any benefit seen with modest alcohol consumption disappeared. What remained was a linear relationship between alcohol consumption and coronary artery disease5. Much more what you might expect.
Association of Habitual Alcohol Intake With Risk of Cardiovascular Disease. JAMA Netw Open. 2022
Research like this and other studies is where the more recent media reports of ‘any’ alcohol being bad for you have come.
So, alcohol is a toxin. But, as Paracelsus notes:
“The dose makes the poison.”
Even water consumed to excess can be lethal.
We know that excess alcohol consumption is harmful. But I don’t think there was any great uncertainty around that point.
The key takeaway is that modest alcohol consumption is unlikely to be ‘beneficial’ to you. As much as you loved the idea that red wine was good for your heart, we can say with reasonable confidence that this is not the case.
The real question we need to answer is whether consuming modest amounts of alcohol is considerably worse for you when it comes to heart disease and death from any cause.
Based on the literature to date, it seems that the incremental risk for modest amounts of weekly alcohol consumption is likely to be small. But that doesn’t mean there are no downsides.
Sleep
One of the main reasons I significantly reduced my alcohol consumption was its effect on my sleep. If I drink more than one drink, I find that the quality of my sleep gets worse. I am much more likely to wake in the middle of the night and feel the effects the following day. But that’s just my personal experience.
Although alcohol is likely to make you fall asleep faster, it impacts your sleep quality6. Additionally, alcohol also reduces the percentage of REM sleep a person gets overnight7.
A workaround for me is to consume any alcohol during the daytime, so my sleep is unlikely to be affected, and if I am going to have a drink, I make sure it is worthwhile. I.e. I am with friends, or it is a high-quality drink. No more drinks on airplanes for me. Mainly because you lose about 30% of your sense of smell and taste in a pressurised cabin and therefore you are less likely to enjoy your drink8. Why do you think they serve you tomato juice and the fact that you think it’s tolerable?!
Humans have been consuming alcohol as far back as the ancient Egyptians, and some evidence suggests the Chinese were consuming alcohol as far back as 7000 B.C. So I don’t see alcohol disappearing any time soon.
The question we all need to ask is:
How much are we realistically drinking on a daily or weekly basis &
Is it likely to be doing us harm?
Only you can answer that question.
The only way to be certain you are doing no harm is to eliminate alcohol entirely. But life is full of risks, some of which we can control, some we cannot.
And some risks are worth taking.
Want to eliminate all road traffic accidents worldwide?
Simple.
Ban cars.
But at what cost?
The risks of driving are a risk most of us are willing to take.
Mokdad, A.H.; Marks, J.S.; Stroup, D.F.; and Gerberding, J.L. Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. JAMA 291(10):1238–1245, 2004. Erratum in JAMA 293(3):298, 2005.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alcohol and Public Health: Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI). Annual Average for United States 2011–2015 Alcohol-Attributable Deaths Due to Excessive Alcohol Use, All Ages.
Alcohol Dosing and Total Mortality in Men and Women: An Updated Meta-analysis of 34 Prospective Studies. Arch Intern Med.2006;166(22):2437–2445. doi:10.1001/archinte.166.22.2437
Biddinger KJ, Emdin CA, Haas ME, et al. Association of Habitual Alcohol Intake With Risk of Cardiovascular Disease. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(3):e223849. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.3849
Britton, A., Fat, L.N. & Neligan, A. The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population. Sci Rep10, 5275 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-62227-0
Ebrahim IO, Shapiro CM, Williams AJ, Fenwick PB. Alcohol and sleep I: effects on normal sleep. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013 Apr;37(4):539-49. doi: 10.1111/acer.12006.
Burdack-Freitag, Andrea & Bullinger, Dino & Mayer, Florian & Breuer, Klaus. (2010). Odor and taste perception at normal and low atmospheric pressure in a simulated aircraft cabin. Journal für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit. 6. 95-109. 10.1007/s00003-010-0630-y.
A creamy smoothie with crunchy toppings — in a bowl!
Ingredients
Smoothie base
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 banana, frozen
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup berries of your choice
1 tablespoon flaxseeds
1 scoop vanilla plant-based protein powder, optional
Toppings
1 tablespoon slivered almonds
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
Directions
Blend all base ingredients together until smooth, adjusting for sweetness and thickness.
Serve immediately in a large bowl with toppings.
Ingredient health benefits
Yogurt: With probiotics and prebiotics to go around, yogurt is a great way to show your stomach some love. Yogurt is also a complete protein, which means it has all nine essential amino acids that your body needs to function properly (but can’t make on its own). And, most famously, it has calcium to keep your bones happy and healthy.
Bananas: Most everyone knows that bananas are a great source of potassium, but there’s so much more to this zany-looking fruit than popular knowledge conveys. Bananas also have magnesium and vitamin B6, which help regulate blood pressure and metabolism. And they have fiber to keep your gut working properly.
Flaxseed: This little seed really is worth the hype. Flaxseed is a source of omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3s, for short), which are vital for your body to function as it should. Flaxseed also has fiber and antioxidants that fight damaging free radicals and chronic inflammation.
Chia seeds: Another tiny seed with plenty of perks, chia seeds improve your digestion and promote the growth of good bacteria that keep your gut healthy. Their quirky ability to expand in fluid can help you stay fuller for longer when they’re in your stomach juices, which can be helpful if you’re trying to lose weight.
Pomegranate seeds: These little gems are as good for you as they taste. The squishy packets around the seeds contain juice that’s high in antioxidants, which might support the health of your heart. Pomegranate juice may also have cancer-fighting abilities, but research is ongoing. Still, incorporating pomegranates into a hearty, nutritious diet wouldn’t hurt!
Nutrition information (per serving)
Makes 4 servings Serving = 3/4 cup
Calories: 160 Carbohydrate: 27 g Sugars: 17 g Fiber: 4 g Saturated fat: 0.5 g Cholesterol: 5 mg Protein: 9 g Sodium: 70 mg
Ironically, not every pear is “pear-shaped.” One variety, Asian pears, is actually shaped like an apple. But no matter their shape, all pears are rich in disease-fighting nutrients.
“Pears are so healthy, and most people tolerate them very well,” says registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD. “They’re terrific for your digestion and have other impressive health benefits. They’re a perfect snack if you’re craving something sweet.”
Types of pears
Pears are members of the Rosaceae plant family, along with apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and several other fruits and berries. Pears can range in texture, color, crispness, juiciness and sweetness. Common varieties you may find in the grocery store include:
Anjou (green or red).
Asian.
Bartlett.
Bosc.
Comice.
Concorde.
Forelle.
Seckel.
Starkrimson.
Health benefits of pears
Are pears good for you? Absolutely. Pears are a great source of antioxidants, fiber, potassium and vitamin C. But they’re not just full of nutrients — they also may lower your risk of some diseases. Here are five ways pears boost your health.
1. A nutritious source of vitamins and minerals
Like most fruit, pears are a source of good nutrition. One medium pear has approximately:
Nobody enjoys the dreaded crash that happens after sugary foods spike your blood glucose. Steady blood sugar means a steady supply of energy, which is healthier for your body. Blood sugar management is even more important if you have diabetes.
Czerwony says pears may help stabilize blood sugar and even reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes. How? Fiber, for starters. A medium pear offers nearly one-quarter of the fiber you need in a day. Fiber helps keep blood sugar steadier by slowing your body’s absorption of sugar.
Pears also contain anthocyanin, an antioxidant. An observational study suggests a link between eating anthocyanin-rich foods and a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Another study showed that eating pears could significantly lower your odds of developing Type 2 diabetes. For each serving of pears eaten per week, researchers found a 3% lower risk of Type 2 diabetes.
In addition, pears are a low-glycemic food, which means they won’t spike your blood sugar like sugary foods and some fruits can.
3. Relieves constipation and improves digestive health
Fiber adds bulk to and softens your stool, which helps things move along in your gut. Lots of foods contain fiber, but pears are a particularly excellent source.
A single pear contains 6 grams of fiber (more than 20% of what an adult needs in a day). And pectin, a type of fiber in pears, has some specific benefits. Pectin is a soluble fiber known to help:
Constipation: In a study of 80 people with constipation, pectin significantly improved food movement through their digestive systems and reduced symptoms.
Gut microbiome: Pectin promotes the growth of good bacteria in your colon, according to a review of several studies, helping your microbiome stay healthy.
To reap the fibrous benefit of pears, don’t skip the skin. “Pear skin contains a significant amount of the fruit’s total fiber content,” notes Czerwony.
4. Lowers inflammation
Inflammation happens when your immune system tries to protect you from something — an infection, a toxin or some other offender. Some temporary inflammation is actually a healthy response to these things. But when inflammation hangs around, it can contribute to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, asthma, cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
Antioxidants are nutrients that can prevent some of the cell damage that leads to inflammation. Pears are rich in powerful types of antioxidants called flavonoids.
Research shows that flavonoids can reduce inflammation and lower the risk of:
Potassium, known to help reduce high blood pressure — another risk factor for heart disease.
In addition, a study examining the effects of fruit and vegetable consumption suggests eating pears lowers your risk of stroke. And one large clinical trial showed a link between eating pears and a lower risk of dying from heart disease.
Are fresh, canned or frozen pears better?
“In general, fresh fruits are best because they have the highest amount of nutrients,” explains Czerwony. “Frozen is usually a close second to fresh. The heat of canning, though, can break down certain nutrients.”
But don’t avoid canned pears completely. They’re still good for you. She advises looking for pears in water rather than syrup, which adds unneeded sugar.
“You might be surprised by what you can do with fresh pears,” she adds. “Think of how you use apples — sliced raw, in pies or baked — and you can do all those things with pears.”
If you’re planning to start an exercise program and wondering where to begin, start with your core first, says physical therapist Brittany Smith, DPT. People often think of the core muscles as being the abdominal muscles, but the core includes the muscles in the abdomen, back and hips, all working together as a group.
“The core muscles provide stability for the entire body as it moves,” says Smith. “These muscles are activated when you stand up, turn, bend, reach, twist, stoop and move in most other ways. Everything starts with your core.”
Strong core muscles help you maintain good posture, while weak ones can lead to slouching and slumping. Poor posture can be a cause of aches and pain, especially in the back.
Getting started with your core
To get your core muscles in shape, you need to exercise.
“Our bodies were made to move, so any physical activity is really important,” says Smith.
She recommends these specific core-strengthening exercises below.
The first one engages the deep muscles in the abdomen, called the transverse abdominis. “These muscles help hold us in a better position to stabilize our core, thereby stabilizing our arms and legs,” says Smith.
“The more you work on these muscles, the more it will become second nature to hold these muscles tight when you’re lifting grocery bags, doing yard work or any other kind of physical activity,” says Smith. This will help support your body.
Other muscles that tend to be weak are the gluteus maximus in the buttocks, and the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus on the side of the hip. The bridge and clamshell exercises can help strengthen these muscles.
Smith emphasizes that getting the proper position of these exercises correct is more important than the number of repetitions you do. “It’s better to take your time, maybe do fewer reps, but with better quality,” she says. For that reason, it can be helpful to have the guidance of a physical therapist to get started.
Move on from the core
Core exercises are the starting point of overall fitness because you need to hold those muscles engaged while you strengthen other muscles, such as the biceps in the arms or the quadriceps in the legs.
Smith suggests setting short-term goals (for about a month) and then more long-term goals. Once you have achieved short-term goals, such as getting around more easily, add other types of weight-training or resistance exercises to build muscle elsewhere.
With any exercise you do, always listen to your body, warns Smith. If you have pain other than muscle burn, take it easy. Reduce the number of repetitions, the weight or the duration of the exercises. Then build up gradually. “You don’t have to be in pain to make gains,” she says.
Beginner exercises for core strength
For each of the following, work up to one to two sets of 10 to 15 repetitions once a day.
Abdominal bracing
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Contract your abdominal muscles, and press the arch of your back down toward the floor, pulling your belly button toward your spine. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Make sure your lower back stays flat on the floor. Relax and repeat.
Bridge
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor with your arms at your sides. Squeeze your abdominal and buttocks muscles, push your heels into the floor and slowly lift your buttocks and hips off the floor. Keep your back straight. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds.
Clamshell
Lie on your side with knees bent in line with your hips and back, draw up the top knee while keeping contact of your feet together as shown. Don’t let your pelvis roll back during the lifting movement. Hold for 5 seconds.
What Does Alcohol Do to Your Body? 9 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health
Alcohol affects your whole body, from your liver and immune system to your brain and mental health
You probably already know that excessive drinking can affect you in more ways than one.
There are the empty calories that can lead to weight gain. There’s the potential for injury and regrettable choices. And don’t forget about the hangovers of course.
Heavy drinking can also lead to a host of health concerns, like brain damage, heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver and even certain kinds of cancer.
And that’s on top of the toll that alcohol use can take on relationships, not to mention the potential for financial strain and legal troubles.
But even moderate alcohol use changes the way your body functions.
We talked with hepatologist Shreya Sengupta, MD, about how alcohol use affects your body and your emotional health.
“Some people think of the effects of alcohol as only something to be worried about if you’re living with alcohol use disorder, which was formerly called alcoholism,” Dr. Sengupta says.
“But when you consider how alcohol is metabolized and used by your body, we can start to see that even moderate and social drinking affects our health to some degree.”
Dr. Sengupta shares some of the not-so-obvious effects that alcohol has on your body.
Liver
Your liver detoxifies and removes alcohol from your blood through a process known as oxidation. When your liver finishes that process, alcohol gets turned into water and carbon dioxide.
But when you ingest too much alcohol for your liver to process in a timely manner, a buildup of toxic substances begins to take a toll on your liver.
If alcohol continues to accumulate in your system, it can destroy cells and, eventually, damage your organs.
“When your liver is overwhelmed by oxidizing alcohol, it generates molecules that inhibit fat oxidation,” Dr. Sengupta explains. “The fats build up. Over time, it can lead to a condition known as steatotic liver disease.”
Steatotic liver disease used to go by the name fatty liver disease.
Steatotic liver disease develops in about 90% of people who drink more than 1.5 to 2 ounces of alcohol per day. That’s about one shot glass worth.
With continued alcohol use, steatotic liver disease can lead to liver fibrosis. Eventually, you can develop permanent and irreversible scarring in your liver, which is called cirrhosis.
“The good news is that earlier stages of steatotic liver disease are usually completely reversible in about four to six weeks if you abstain from drinking alcohol,” Dr. Sengupta assures.
Cirrhosis, on the other hand, is irreversible and can lead to liver failure and liver cancer, even if you abstain from alcohol.
Metabolism
You probably are keenly aware of the so-called “beer belly.” That’s shorthand for a round midsection that some people associate with drinking too much beer.
In reality, there’s no evidence that drinking beer (or your alcoholic beverages of choice) actually contributes to belly fat.
But there’s plenty of research to back up the notion that alcohol does lead to weight gain in general. Even for people who aren’t particularly heavy drinkers.
“Drinking gives your body work to do that keeps it from going about its other processes,” Dr. Sengupta notes. “Alcohol distracts your system from its regularly scheduled duties, including things like metabolizing carbohydrates and fats.”
Once you take a drink, your body makes metabolizing alcohol a priority — above processing anything else.
That’s because your body already has processes in place that allow it to store excess proteins, carbohydrates and fats. But there isn’t a storage tank for alcohol. So, your system prioritizes getting rid of alcohol before it can turn its attention to its other work.
That allows excess calories from the foods you eat to sit around, leading to weight gain.
Gut health
Your gut microbiome is a hotbed of bacteria that help keep your digestive system happy and healthy. The trillions of microbes in your colon and large and small intestines are critical to proper digestion. They also help fend off inflammation and support healthy metabolism.
When you drink too much alcohol, it can throw off the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut.
“Alcohol can kill the good bacteria that live in your gut, allowing bad bacteria to grow unchecked,” Dr. Sengupta explains. “That can lead to problems with digestion, inflammation and even organ damage.”
Having a glass of wine with dinner or a beer at a party here and there isn’t going to destroy your gut. But even low amounts of daily drinking and prolonged and heavy use of alcohol can lead to significant problems for your digestive system.
There are a few studies that associate red wine with improved heart health in lab tests. But no research proves that red wine causes any improvements in heart health in people.
“The reality is that alcohol causes more health troubles than it could ever help,” Dr. Sengupta reinforces. “And that goes for your heart, as well as the rest of your body.”
Pancreas
Your pancreas helps your body digest food and manage your blood sugar. Drinking alcohol changes how your pancreas works.
“Your pancreas secretes fluids. Alcohol use can thicken those fluids, which can clog the ducts that those fluids flow out of,” Dr. Sengupta explains.
Like a clog in a drain, those thickened fluids can jam up your ducts. That can lead to pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas.
Pancreatitis can be a short-term (acute) condition that clears up in a few days. But prolonged alcohol abuse can lead to chronic (long-term) pancreatitis, which can be severe.
Your body breaks alcohol down into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which damages your DNA. Damaged DNA can cause a cell to grow out of control, which results in cancerous tumors.
Alcohol use has been shown to raise your risk for several kinds of cancer. That includes cancers of the:
Mouth.
Esophagus.
Throat.
Liver.
Breast.
Colon and rectum.
Immune system
If you drink every day, or almost every day, you might notice that you catch colds, flu or other illnesses more frequently than people who don’t drink. That’s because alcohol can weaken your immune system and make your body more susceptible to infection.
“We see lower levels of a specific kind of white blood cells called lymphocytes in people who drink heavily for long periods of time,” Dr. Sengupta reports. “That can leave them more vulnerable to infectious diseases.”
Brain
The morning after a night of over-imbibing can cause some temporary effects on your brain. Things like trouble concentration, slow reflexes and sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds are standard signs of a hangover, and evidence of alcohol’s effects on your brain.
Long-term alcohol use can change your brain’s wiring in much more significant ways. Ways that your standard hangover cures won’t even begin to touch.
“Excessive alcohol consumption can cause nerve damage and irreversible forms of dementia,” Dr. Sengupta warns.
Mental health
Alcohol is a depressant. And prolonged alcohol use can lead to mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Chronic misuse can also lead to paranoia and hallucinations.
Even drinking a little too much (binge drinking) on occasion can set off a chain reaction that affects your well-being. Lowered inhibitions can lead to poor choices with lasting repercussions — like the end of a relationship, an accident or legal woes. Each of those consequences can cause turmoil that can negatively affect your long-term emotional health.
“Alcohol tends to cause more problems than it solves for a lot of people,” Dr. Sengupta emphasizes. “If drinking is affecting your health, your relationships, your work, your finances, it’s time to make some serious changes.”
If you need more guidance to quit drinking, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a hotline, 24/7, 365 days a year. Call 1.800.662.HELP (4357).
Alcoholics Anonymous is available almost everywhere and provides a place to openly and nonjudgmentally discuss alcohol issues with others who have alcohol use disorder.
Evidence suggests “one or fewer drinks per day” may elevate the risk for cancers.
January 6, 2025
The US Surgeon General has issued an advisory recommending updates to alcoholic beverage labels to include warnings about the risks of cancer.
The document, titled Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk, addressed the “direct link” between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of cancer.
According to the advisory, alcohol is the “third leading preventable cause” of cancer in the US, following tobacco use and obesity.
It underscored that alcohol consumption contributed to cancers of the breast, colorectum, oesophagus, liver, mouth, throat, and voice box, regardless of the alcohol type.
Cancer risk increases with alcohol intake, and evidence suggests that even low levels—such as “one or fewer drinks per day” —can elevate the risk for breast, mouth, and throat cancers, according to a statement from the Surgeon General’s office.
Dr Murthy called for revising the Surgeon General’s health warning labels on alcohol-containing beverages to include information about cancer risks.
This advisory also emphasised the need to reevaluate recommended limits for alcohol consumption based on the latest research to account for cancer risks.
Dr Murthy said: “Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the US – greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the US – yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk.
“This advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimise harm.”
The release also urged public health professionals and community groups to emphasise alcohol consumption “as a leading modifiable cancer risk factor” and improve education efforts to raise public awareness.
The surgeon general advised people to consider the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk “when deciding whether to drink or how much to have”.
The action comes in response to a 2020 letter addressed to Dr Murthy by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, American Institute for Cancer Research, Consumer Federation of America, and US Alcohol Policy Alliance, urging an update to alcoholic beverage labels to include cancer warnings.
In May 2023, Ireland became the “first” country in the European Union to mandate health labelling on alcoholic drinks with the law anticipated to take effect from 22 May 2026.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) issued new guidance in 2023, warning that no level of alcohol consumption is risk-free and recommended a maximum of two drinks per week.
You likely know that drinking alcohol too often or to excess isn’t a good idea, health-wise. But when it comes to alcohol and heart health, you may have heard different sides. Is drinking all that bad for your heart? Can a glass of wine help reduce your risk of heart disease — or make it worse?
First things first: If you drink alcohol, you should do so in moderation to avoid alcohol-related heart issues. And you should never intentionally use alcohol to try to reduce your risk of heart disease.
To further explore the relationship between your ticker and your favorite glass of merlot or IPA, we chatted with cardiologist Leslie Cho, MD.
Ways alcohol can impact heart health
Here are some of the effects of alcohol on your heart:
Increased heart rate
One of the most important things your heart does is keep a rhythm. On average, a regular heart rate is about 60 to 100 beats per minute when your body is at rest. But alcohol can lead to your heart rate temporarily jumping up in speed, and if it goes over 100 beats per minute, it can cause a condition called tachycardia. Too many episodes of tachycardia could lead to more serious issues like heart failure or going into irregular rhythms, which can cause heart attack and stroke.
Raises blood pressure
That fourth drink at the bar may feel like it’s relaxing you, but it’s actually affecting your body differently than you might think. Alcohol can affect your blood pressure, causing it to go up temporarily. This is especially true when you engage in binge drinking (that’s defined as four or more drinks within two hours for women and people assigned female at birth, and five or more drinks within two hours for men and people assigned male at birth).
And sure, we’ve all had a night here or there where we’ve had one too many and we know it. But it’s important to make sure those nights of overindulgence are the exception and not the rule. If you’re not sure, make a note to tune into how much you’re having over the course of the next month or so. If it’s more than recommended, try to consciously pace your drinking to help reduce the spike in your blood pressure that excessive alcohol causes.
And if you have a history of high blood pressure, it’s best to avoid alcohol completely or drink only occasionally, and in moderation.
Irregular heartbeat
Whether it’s a glass of red wine with your turkey or toasting champagne for the new year, alcohol definitely becomes more present during the holiday season. And while enjoying celebratory spirits in moderation is alright for most people, it’s important to be aware you can fall victim to holiday heart syndrome if you overdo it. This is when overeating and overindulging in alcohol lead to an irregular heartbeat.
Holiday heart syndrome can happen if you don’t typically drink alcohol, but then have a few at a holiday party or if you binge drink. This can cause you to develop an irregular heartbeat, called atrial fibrillation, which can increase your risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure.
Prolonged drinking can cause alcoholic cardiomyopathy
The short-term effects of alcohol (headache, nausea, you know the rest) are easy to pinpoint. But there are ways that alcohol affects your body over time that are important to understand. One of the long-term effects of alcohol on your heart is alcoholic cardiomyopathy. This is when your heart-pumping function gets weaker and your heart gets larger due to changes from heavy alcohol use over a long period of time.
OK, don’t panic. If you’re an occasional drinker, there’s no cause for worry. But it may be worthwhile learning about what counts as binge drinking and whether or not you may be drinking too much and don’t even know it.
Is some level of alcohol safe or beneficial?
It’s true, red wine is a better choice than hard liquor. But can a trip to the wine bar boost your heart health?
You should never consider wine or any other alcohol as a way to lower your heart disease risk. And, in fact, the study also showed that drinking one or fewer drinks per day was related to the lowest likelihood of dying from a stroke. However, Dr. Cho points out that more recent data shows that there may be no amount of alcohol that is truly safe. “The myth that wine is beneficial for heart health is no longer true,” she states.
“It’s not a good idea to start drinking alcohol in an effort to lower your risk of heart disease,” Dr. Cho continues. “It’s better not to drink any alcohol at all.”
It’s also important to know that the ways in which alcohol affects your heart will vary from person to person, depending on your age and other conditions you may have.
Age
Let’s face it, a hangover in your mid-40s doesn’t feel the same as one in your early 20s. This is because your age plays a factor in how well you tolerate alcohol. While some people develop a tolerance to alcohol over time, this isn’t true for everyone — and this ability doesn’t last forever, Dr. Cho notes.
“As we get older, our ability to clear alcohol definitely decreases and our sensitivity to alcohol probably increases,” she explains. “Also as we get older, we end up having more diseases, so we could be on medicines that can interfere with the way our bodies metabolize alcohol.”
Other medical conditions
In many ways, your medical history (and present) can tell you a lot about your future with alcohol. That means, if you’re living with other medical conditions and/or taking certain medications, this will all have an impact on how alcohol affects you.
“Certain health conditions can make drinking alcohol more dangerous,” Dr. Cho says.
For example, some people who are on cholesterol-lowering medicines may experience muscle aches when they drink alcohol. Because alcohol and cholesterol medicine both are processed through your liver, they are, in a sense, competing for clearance. So, it’s important to think about your overall health and talk to a healthcare provider about your personal risk factors.
“Alcohol is made out of sugar,” Dr. Cho points out. “So, if you’re predisposed to diabetes or if high triglycerides are one of your issues, it’s not a good idea to drink alcohol.”
Dr. Cho also warns that if you have liver dysfunction or take other medicines that are processed through the liver, your risks might be different. Talk to your healthcare provider about how alcohol might interact with your prescription medicines.
The last thing you want is for that casual drink after work or glass of wine at dinner to negatively impact your heart health. There’s a way to have a healthy, balanced relationship with alcohol that lets you enjoy a drink occasionally and celebrate with friends and family. But your heart is an important organ that should also be cared for, so be sure to drink in moderation, learn about binge drinking and know what your body can (and can’t) tolerate before opening that tab.FACEBOOKTWITTERLINKEDINPINTERESTEmailalcoholalcohol and healthalcoholic beveragesbinge drinkingheart health
Evidence suggests “one or fewer drinks per day” may elevate the risk for cancers.
January 6, 2025
The US Surgeon General has issued an advisory recommending updates to alcoholic beverage labels to include warnings about the risks of cancer.
The document, titled Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk, addressed the “direct link” between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of cancer.
According to the advisory, alcohol is the “third leading preventable cause” of cancer in the US, following tobacco use and obesity.
It underscored that alcohol consumption contributed to cancers of the breast, colorectum, oesophagus, liver, mouth, throat, and voice box, regardless of the alcohol type.
Cancer risk increases with alcohol intake, and evidence suggests that even low levels—such as “one or fewer drinks per day” —can elevate the risk for breast, mouth, and throat cancers, according to a statement from the Surgeon General’s office.
Dr Murthy called for revising the Surgeon General’s health warning labels on alcohol-containing beverages to include information about cancer risks.
This advisory also emphasised the need to reevaluate recommended limits for alcohol consumption based on the latest research to account for cancer risks.
Dr Murthy said: “Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the US – greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the US – yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk.
“This advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimise harm.”
The release also urged public health professionals and community groups to emphasise alcohol consumption “as a leading modifiable cancer risk factor” and improve education efforts to raise public awareness.
The surgeon general advised people to consider the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk “when deciding whether to drink or how much to have”.
The action comes in response to a 2020 letter addressed to Dr Murthy by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, American Institute for Cancer Research, Consumer Federation of America, and US Alcohol Policy Alliance, urging an update to alcoholic beverage labels to include cancer warnings.
In May 2023, Ireland became the “first” country in the European Union to mandate health labelling on alcoholic drinks with the law anticipated to take effect from 22 May 2026.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) issued new guidance in 2023, warning that no level of alcohol consumption is risk-free and recommended a maximum of two drinks per week.
The relationship between alcohol consumption and menstrual cycle: a review of the literature:
Abstract
Alcohol use affects men and women differently, with women being more affected by the health effects of alcohol use (NIAAA, 2011). Yet, a dearth of information investigating the alcohol use in women exists (SAMSHA, 2011). In particular, one dispositional factor hypothesized to contribute to alcohol consumption in women is the menstrual cycle. However, only 13 empirical papers have considered the menstrual cycle as related to alcohol consumption in women. These studies fall out with somewhat mixed findings suggesting that the premenstrual week is associated with increased, decreased, or no change in alcohol consumption, likely due to methodological differences in menstrual cycle determination and measures of alcohol consumption. These methodological differences and possible other contributing factors are discussed here with recommendations for future research in this area. Understanding the contribution of the menstrual cycle to alcohol consumption is one step in addressing an important women’s health concern.
Keywords: Alcohol consumption, Menstrual cycle, Women, Women’s health
Healthaware 