Search resultsModerate alcohol consumption and morbidity and mortality from disorders of the gastrointestinal tract
Title
Moderate alcohol consumption and morbidity and mortality from disorders of the gastrointestinal tract
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2000
Authors
Journal
Verdauungskrankheiten
Volume
18
Issue
6
Pagination
277 - 282
Date published
2000
ISBN
0174738X (ISSN)
Keywords
alcohol, alcohol consumption, clinical trial, Digestive tract, Drinking patterns, Female, gastrointestinal disease, health, human, ischemic heart disease, Liver Cirrhosis, major clinical study, male, Malignant neoplasms, meta analysis, Methods of assessment, Moderate drinking, morbidity, mortality, review, risk assessment, risk benefit analysis
Abstract
Moderate consumption of alcohol has been shown to have beneficial effects on health, e.g. for coronary heart disease. But moderate drinking also results in health risks, especially for diseases of the digestive tract. Recent meta-analyses report up to twofold elevated relative risks of moderate drinking for several diseases of the digestive tract. Moderate consumption of alcohol has clearly been linked to cause malignant neoplasms of lip, oral cavity, pharynx, oesophagus and liver. There is strong evidence for relatively small, but consistent effects of moderate consumption on malignant neoplasm of colon and rectum in more recent analyses, especially if quality of the underlying research is taken into consideration. Biological research supports the effect of alcohol on these organs. No consistent effect of moderate consumption, or alcohol in general, on stomach or pancreas cancer has yet been established, although such effects cannot be completely ruled out. Moderate drinking also has other deleterious effects on chronic and/or inflammatory disease conditions of the digestive tract. There are increased relative risks for liver cirrhosis and other chronic diseases of the liver, as well as for chronic pancreatitis and oesophageal varices. However, no clear effect on gastric or duodenal ulcers has been identified. Consequences of current knowledge gaps for future research in this area are lined out. Future research should especially clarify the influence of different drinking patterns on disorders of the digestive tract. This is important as beneficial effects of alcohol can be clearly linked to specific drinking patterns, and as the results of such research may have clear consequences for preventive measures. Finally the consequences of current knowledge for the individual consumer are discussed. Since there is no drinking without risk, all consumers should know the risks involved in order to personally weight the benefits against the risks of moderate drinking and of alcohol consumption in general to take informed decisions.