Many health researchers are claiming that there is indeed a link between the consumption of alcohol and cancer. According to this research, the risk of developing cancer is dose-dependant. What does this mean? Simply put, the more alcohol you consume, the greater your chances of developing cancer.

Quite an awful variety of cancer types are associated with alcohol. These include: cancer of the upper digestive tract, liver, breast, colon, and possibly even the stomach, pancreas and lungs. About 50% of cancers associated with the mouth, pharynx, and larynx are due in part to heavy drinking over a prolonged period of time. If drinking is combined with smoking, the risk of developing one of these types of cancers is even greater.

Although the evidence supporting this link seems to be building as research continues, the reasons are still unclear. Alcohol may not directly be the cause of cancer but it does affect the way our body functions that may eventually lead to cancer.

One result that alcohol has once it is in our system is that it deters a cell's ability to repair its DNA, therefore allowing for possible mutations which may trigger cancer. Alcohol can also act as a cocarcinogen by enhancing the negative effects of tobacco. Overindulging in alcohol to a dangerous level will also reduce the vitamins and minerals in your body, making it more vulnerable to cancer formation.

Keeping all this in mind, while it may not be dangerous to drink alcohol, like everything else it should be done in moderation. There's nothing wrong with having a bottle of beer on a hot summer day or finishing off your meal with a glass of red wine. Just be sure you don't find yourself abusing the alcohol and drinking it as if it were water. You can avoid a lot of health risks by setting a good limit for how much you drink and when.