Alcohol Abuse Increases Risk of Cancer

January 20, 2015

How Does Alcohol Increase The Risk Of Cancer?

Risk of cancer Alcohol drinking is a common practice. To some people they do it when seeking pleasure but to others it has become an addiction that they can’t live without. The pleasure seekers ay only take alcohol once in a week, possibly on weekends but to those already addicted to the rum they can’t go a day without it. Most people however engage in alcohol drinking as a way to bond with friends and give them that sense of belonging. Whatever the reason you take alcohol for it is important that you be aware of the risks associated with drinking alcohol. Apart from alcohol addiction that every person never wants to be chained to, there are other serious risks associated with alcohol drinking. One of these risks that are associated with alcohol drinking is that it increases the risk of cancer.

Cancer is currently one of the most dreaded diseases worldwide. It is a disease that is not only expensive to treat but is synonymous to pain. The chronic pain that is associated with cancer in itself a risk to addiction to opiates that are normally used to quell the pain. even today doctors are still working to avail other better options of treating cancer so as to avoid its debilitating effects on its victims but still it pays a great deal to stay out of all the factors that may increase your risks of cancer debilitating you. having learnt of the current unbreakable link between alcohol to increased risk of cancer the best thing to do for any alcohol addicted fellow is to seek medical heap especially through an integrative doctor to help him quit alcohol and wholly heal him from the effects of alcohol before it pave way for cancer to creep in. with this said I think it is better we get the specifics of this link so that you may judge for yourself if quitting alcohol is worth it. Here are some possible explanations for how alcohol can increase risk of cancer.

Acetaldehyde is a carcinogen

When taken, alcohol is converted into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde in our bodies. Acetaldehyde can cause cancer by damaging DNA and stopping our cells from repairing this damage. The International Agency for Research on Cancer have classified acetaldehyde formed as a result of drinking alcohol as being a cause of cancer, along with alcohol itself. It also causes liver cells to grow faster than normal. These regenerating cells are more likely to pick up changes in their genes that could lead to cancer.

Typically, ethanol is broken down mainly by the liver, but lots of other cell types can do this as well. Some of the bacteria that live in our mouths and the linings of our guts are also able to convert ethanol into acetaldehyde. The reactive nature of acetaldehyde is such that it can form DNA adducts of which, the most well-known and extensively studied, is N2-ethyl-2′-deoxyguanosine (N2-ethyl-dG). Studies done on rats that were put on a drinking water with 10% (v/v) alcohol proves that indeed acetaldehyde is harmful and causes cancer.

Alcohol increases estrogen levels

Estrogen dominance causes cancer. It is because of estrogen dominance in obese women that exposes them to breast cancer. Several past studies have proved this. Alcohol increases risk of cancer by increasing the levels of estrogen in a person. Despite its very essential purposes as a hormone estrogen has a dark side too this can be made worse by alcohol consumption-risk of cancer.

Alcohol damages liver cells

Alcohol consumption damages the liver cells leading to a disease known as liver cirrhosis. This even increases your risk of developing liver cancer. Apart from this, it also makes it easier for the tissues of the mouth and throat to absorb the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco. This explains why people who drink and smoke multiply the damage they receive and have especially high risks of cancer. Alcohol also impairs the body’s ability to break down and absorb a variety of nutrients that may be associated with cancer risk, leading to lack of these essential Vitamins: vitamin A; nutrients in the vitamin B family such as Thiamine and folate; vitamin C; vitamin D; vitamin E; and carotenoids. Lack of these essential nutrients escalates the risk of cancer.

Alcohol depletes Folate

Excessive or long term consumption of alcohol leads to depletion of folate. Folate is an important vitamin that helps our cells produce new DNA correctly. People who drink alcohol tend to have lower levels of folate in their blood. Some studies have linked low levels of folate to cancer.

Alcohol generates ROS

Alcohol generate damaging reactive oxygen species (chemically reactive molecules that contain oxygen), which can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids (fats) through a process called oxidation. Any damage on DNA increases risk of cancer. Besides alcoholic beverages may also contain a variety of carcinogenic contaminants that are introduced during fermentation and production, these may include; nitrosamines, asbestos fibers, phenols, and hydrocarbons.

Alcohol addiction is a vice that should be fought by all means that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. We offer NER Treatment and Amino acid therapy that are the most effective approaches to addiction treatment and recovery. You call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

How Does Alcohol Increase The Risk Of Cancer?

NADH and Cancer

July 29, 2014

NADH Helps in Eliminating Cancer-Causing Free Radicals

NADH is an abbreviation for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The last H stands for a high energy hydrogen and shows that it is a reduced form of the coenzyme 1 which is another term for NADH. The coenzyme 1 is present in the entire human as well as the animal cells. The coenzyme 1 helps the body in producing cellular energy so as to function properly. It is also very important as it triggers the production of dopamine and serotonin. Coenzyme 1 has been found to relieve symptoms such as fatigue, loss of concentration, jet lag, muscle injury, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s as well as memory loss. This coenzyme 1 has also been proposed by researchers to have an effect on cancer cell growth and metastasis.

Biologically, enzymes are known to catalyze processes and help in creation of products that our bodies need to continue living. It is the enzymes that help in the breakdown of foods as well as uptake of the digested foods for use by the body. The enzymes however can be able to accomplish these processes if another factor collaborates with them to complete these functions, this factor that is needed for enzymes to accomplish these biological processes is called a co-enzyme. Without the coenzymes the enzymes will not be able to work properly. Coenzyme is a necessity for enzymes to be active and work favorably.

Coenzyme 1 is an enzyme that helps in the production of energy at the cellular level. In case the NADH is not sufficient, the production of energy in the cells will be slowed and the little energy available will not be able to let the cells work normally. The common symptom for this is fatigue. The coenzyme is the fuel that drives the machines that generate cell energy and it is needed in sufficient supplies to produce more energy. NADH is such an important coenzyme, however it declines in level with aging. Enzymes that are dependent on NADH also reduce in levels as you grow old. This may lead to energy deficiency at the cell level.

Is naturally found in foods

Just like other most valued nutrients, NADH can be found naturally in the foods we eat. This coenzyme is present in all living cells be it animal cell or plant cell. It can therefore be found in the foods we eat daily. Meat, fish and poultry have the highest levels of coenzyme 1. In fact meat contains higher levels of NADH as compared to fruits and vegetables. This is against the dietary common belief that all vital nutritional components can only be found in fruits and vegetables. However, the way we cook our foods kill this vital coenzyme. Scientists advice that even if we were to eat raw meat we would still lose some of the NADH as the stomach gastric acid degrades the NADH in the foods when they reach the stomach. Typically, the NADH is found in high levels in the animals as they need it to produce energy for movement and locomotion. It can also be found in birds particularly in the heart and their flight muscles.

Due to the fact that plants do not move from place to place, they do not need much energy, therefore their NADH production is much lower than in animals. Vegetarians have had cases of deficit in the coenzyme 1 which leads to low energy in the cells. They can get the needed coenzyme by using supplements of the stabilized NADH popularly known as Enada to enable their bodies to work optimally.

This coenzyme is helpful in curbing cancer as it is very good at reducing the free radicals that are known to cause cancer. These free radicals are often produced when the cells during metabolic processes. The body has antioxidants that help it defend the normal cells from being damaged irreversibly by the free radicals. One of the body’s most vital components of the antioxidative protection shield is the NADH as it is very rich in reduction abilities of any compounds in the cells.

The intercellular content of the free radicals increases greatly in the presence of free radicals inducers such as radiation or cytostatics. The body’s protective system against the free radicals is not always maimed by the internal fluctuations in the production of free radicals. However the antioxidative protection system may be overwhelmed by high levels of free radicals that invade the body from outside. The higher the amounts of free radicals in the cell the greater the damage it can cause to the cells. In most cases the DNA make up of the cell will get altered which leads to formation of cancerous cells.

NADH To avoid cancer, it is important for the body to eliminate the large amounts of the free radicals. In most cases due to the toxicity of the outside environment, the body may have too much free radical for it to handle. Eating foods that are rich in NADH helps in eliminating free radicals as NADH is the most potent antioxidants which are also known to scavenge for the free radicals, eliminating them from the body thereby reducing cancer risk. Since the levels of NADH production declines with age, it is advisable that the aged should supplement NADH to avoid their bodies being overwhelmed by the toxic free radicals. The same applies to vegetarians, vegetables do not contain lots of NADH and so it is better for them to use NADH supplements.

You need to learn on ways to prevent the disease. You need reliable information to help you do this. Contact Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) for more information on health matters and be empowered to take good care of your life. Check her website for more information