Daily Cocktail Consumption: What Happens to Your Body

Daily Cocktail Consumption: What Happens to Your Body

M Hasan    8:00 AM   

The Hidden Risks of Nightly Cocktails

If you enjoy unwinding with a cocktail every night, it's important to understand the potential health consequences that come with this habit. While many people associate drinking with relaxation and socializing, emerging research suggests that even moderate alcohol consumption can have significant negative effects on your body.

Key Points to Consider

Cocktails often contain added sugars, which can lead to various health issues. Additionally, there is growing evidence that alcohol may not offer any real health benefits. Experts recommend limiting or avoiding alcohol to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and dementia.

According to a 2025 Gallup Poll, 54% of Americans report drinking alcohol at least occasionally. This is a decrease from the 62% reported in 2023. Many experts believe this shift may be due to more awareness about the risks associated with alcohol. Even if you try to make your drinks healthier by adding vegetables, mixed drinks are still far from being a superfood.

If you regularly enjoy a happy hour or a nightcap, it's worth considering how these habits might affect your long-term health.

Potential Health Effects of Alcohol

Pictured Recipe: Lemonade Mimosas

It May Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease

Despite its reputation as a heart-healthy drink, alcohol may actually harm your cardiovascular system. A study involving 107,485 people over 14 years found that consuming just 12 grams of alcohol per day (about one standard drink) was linked to a 16% increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that raises the chances of stroke and heart failure.

George F. Koob, Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, notes that while the risks for most people after one drink are low, they aren't zero for everyone. It's difficult to determine who might be at risk from even small amounts of alcohol.

It May Increase Your Risk of Dementia

Alcohol affects brain health and function, potentially increasing the risk of dementia. As a biochemical toxin, alcohol bypasses normal biological functions and enters the brain directly, disrupting neurotransmitters and sedating parts of the brain necessary for normal function.

Dustin Moore, Ph.D., RDN, a nutrition professor at Cal State Long Beach, explains that long-term exposure to alcohol can permanently alter brain signaling chemistry, which may contribute to the development of dementia. A 2025 study supports this, suggesting there is no safe amount of alcohol when it comes to brain health.

It May Disrupt Sleep

More than one-third of Americans don't get enough sleep, defined as at least seven hours a night. While a nighttime cocktail may induce drowsiness, it ultimately harms sleep quality. According to Koob, alcohol shortens the time it takes to fall asleep but disrupts sleep architecture and promotes early waking.

A 2018 study showed that one or two servings of alcohol before sleep disrupt the nervous system, reducing the body's ability to relax during sleep. A 2025 review further reinforces these findings.

It May Cause Weight Gain

Weight gain involves many factors, but regular alcohol consumption can add extra calories to your diet. A study on adults in Spain found that alcohol intake was a predictor of weight gain during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and can be converted to fat if not used by the body. Many cocktails also contain high levels of added sugar, such as frozen drinks, tonic-based drinks, mojitos, whiskey sours, and espresso martinis.

It May Increase Your Risk of Certain Cancers

The news about alcohol and cancer isn't good. There is no perfectly safe level of alcohol consumption, particularly concerning cancer risk. According to a 2020 article, 87,000 cancer cases each year are linked to alcohol use, including esophageal cancer, breast cancer in females, and colorectal cancer.

Even one or two drinks per day can increase the risk of female breast cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends avoiding alcohol for cancer prevention. In 2025, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory warning that alcoholic drinks should carry cancer warnings on the label.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrient	1 vodka and soda	1 frozen margarita
Calories	133	274
Total Carbohydrates	0 g	36 g
Dietary Fiber	0 g	0 g
Total Sugars	0 g	36 g
Protein	0 g	0 g
Total Fat	0 g	0 g
Saturated Fat	0 g	0 g
Sodium	36 mg	459 mg
Alcohol	19 g	18 g

Should You Drink Cocktails for Better Health?

Traditional cocktails are often loaded with added sugars, and the idea that alcohol has health benefits is becoming less supported. However, alcohol remains a part of social life. If you still want to enjoy a drink without the negative effects, consider mocktails. You can find them at local stores or order them at restaurants. If you're hosting, offer guests a tasty mocktail instead.

Need Support?

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol misuse or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

Our Expert Take

Whether or not to drink is a personal choice, and you'll need to weigh the risks against the perceived benefits. According to the U.S. Surgeon General and recent research, there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. If you decide to cut back or eliminate cocktails, switching to mocktails is a great option. Alternatively, try sparkling water with fruit and herbs, like mint and cucumber or lemon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are cocktails bad for your health?
Besides typically being loaded with added sugars, "research suggests that there isn't a perfectly safe level of alcohol consumption," says Koob. Regular consumption of alcohol can increase your risk for heart problems, cancer, sleep issues, addiction, and more.

Which cocktail is the least healthy?
Any heavily sweetened drink high in added sugars and cocktails with a high amount of alcohol will be the least nutritious. With that said, no safe level of alcohol has been established, so we can't claim that any cocktail is more or less healthy.

Is drinking one cocktail per day bad for you?
Yes. According to the World Health Organization, no amount of alcohol is safe because it's been linked with at least seven types of cancer, including bowel cancer and female breast cancer. In addition, there are people who should avoid alcohol completely for other reasons, including those who are recovering from an alcohol use disorder or are unable to control the amount they drink, as well as pregnant women, those who may become pregnant, and individuals who have certain medical conditions or are taking prescription medications that might interact with alcohol.

Alcohol and Prostate Cancer: Key Facts You Should Know

Alcohol and Prostate Cancer: Key Facts You Should Know

M Hasan    10:21 AM   

Alcohol and Prorogen Cancer Risk

Alcohol is a common part of many people's social lives, whether it's a glass of wine with dinner or a beer while watching the football game. However, if you're paying close attention to your prostate health, you might wonder whether drinking alcohol could increase your risk of prostate cancer. Or if you're getting treatment for prostate cancer, you may be asking if it's okay to drink.

Studies on alcohol and prostate cancer don't all agree, which can make it tricky to know what's safe. Here's what experts say so far.

The Connection Between Alcohol Use and Prostate Cancer Risk

The connection between alcohol use and the risk of prostate cancer is not clear, and scientists agree that more research is needed. But studies do show a pattern, especially when it comes to heavy drinking.

Current research indicates that alcohol consumption, especially heavy or long-term intake, is associated with an increased risk of aggressive forms of prostate cancer, says David Taub, MD, a board-certified urologist and the director of urologic oncology at Baptist Health South Florida in Boca Raton. The risk seems to be even higher for those who begin heavy drinking at a younger age.

Heavy drinking for men means five or more drinks on any day, or a total of 15 or more drinks per week. For reference, a standard drink is about 12 ounces (oz) of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1 oz of liquor like vodka or whiskey. Having more than about 30 grams (g) of alcohol daily (roughly two or more standard drinks) may increase the risk of both getting prostate cancer and dying from it, says Brian Helfand, MD, a board-certified urologist at Endeavor Health in Glenview, Illinois.

In general, the more alcohol you drink, the higher your risk tends to be. Even low to moderate drinking (about one to two drinks per day) has been linked to a slightly increased risk of prostate cancer compared with not drinking, although this varies by the type of alcohol. Beer and liquor seem to drive most of this link, says Dr. Taub, while wine doesn't show the same connection.

That said, not all studies agree. Some even suggest that drinking moderate amounts of red wine may be linked with a slightly lower risk of the more-serious, fast-growing types of prostate cancer.

How Alcohol May Affect Prostate Cancer Risk

When your body metabolizes alcohol, the alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde. This is a known carcinogen, meaning a substance that can increase the risk of cancer. Alcohol and acetaldehyde can damage the genetic material in cells, increase inflammation in your body, and interfere with hormones, all of which can create conditions where cancer is more likely to develop, says Taub.

The evidence linking alcohol to prostate cancer continues to grow, according to the American Cancer Society and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Both groups recommend limiting alcohol consumption to reduce cancer risk.

The research results don't all line up, but there's enough evidence to suggest that drinking in moderation or limiting alcohol intake is a reasonable way to help protect yourself, says Dr. Helfand.

Drinking Alcohol During Prostate Cancer Treatment

One question you might have if you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer is whether alcohol can interfere with treatment. Here's how alcohol can affect prostate cancer treatment and recovery.

Surgery

Drinking alcohol, especially with heavy or regular use, can increase the risk of complications after prostate cancer surgery, says Taub.

He says that people who drink alcohol before surgery face higher rates of:

• Infections
• Wound-healing problems
• Breathing troubles
• Long hospital stays

They also have a higher risk of death after the surgery, he says. The risk of death is even greater for older adults, who often have other health conditions. But stopping alcohol use for at least a few weeks before surgery, ideally four to eight weeks, can greatly reduce these complications, says Taub.

Drinking alcohol can also worsen urinary symptoms like urgency, frequency, and stress incontinence, says Helfand. These symptoms are already common if you have prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. Many men report that stress incontinence gets noticeably worse after having two or more drinks during the recovery period after surgery, he says.

Chemotherapy

Alcohol consumption during chemotherapy for prostate cancer may worsen certain side effects, says Taub. It can also affect how your body processes chemotherapy medications, potentially making them less effective or more toxic.

Alcohol and its by-products can stress your liver, heart, and nervous system, which may make chemo-related fatigue or nausea worse, says Taub. It can also change how your liver breaks down chemotherapy medications, changing how well they work and increasing the risk of side effects. A small research study found that 38 percent of people who drank while getting chemo for various cancers experienced complications.

Radiation Therapy

When it comes to radiation therapy for prostate cancer, alcohol use may make the treatment less effective. Alcohol promotes inflammation and weakens your immune system, both of which can interfere with healing and radiation's ability to target cancer cells. Alcohol use during radiation therapy is also linked to poorer treatment outcomes and a higher risk of the cancer returning.

Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy

Little research has been done on alcohol consumption during targeted therapy and immunotherapy. But there appears to be similar effects seen with other treatments, such as weakening of the immune system. More research is needed on this topic to fully understand how these effects might happen, but it's safest to limit alcohol during these treatments as well.

Taub emphasizes that people getting cancer treatment who drink alcohol face increased risks of the cancer coming back, developing new cancers, and dying from the disease. Both experts agree that limiting or avoiding alcohol before, during, and after prostate cancer treatment can help your body heal better and may improve treatment success.

Alcohol and PSA Levels

If you're getting tests to track your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, be aware that alcohol may affect your test results. PSA is a protein made by your prostate gland. A high PSA level could be a sign of prostate cancer or other health conditions.

Alcohol intake can modestly lower PSA levels and may interfere with the accuracy of PSA testing, says Taub. This means prostate cancer may be harder to detect in people who drink moderate to large amounts of alcohol. And the more alcohol a person drinks each week, the more their PSA levels tend to drop.

Lower PSA levels in drinkers may reduce the sensitivity of PSA-based prostate cancer screening, potentially delaying diagnosis or underestimating risk, says Taub. Because current guidelines don't list alcohol as a factor that may affect PSA interpretation, it's important to mention your drinking habits to your healthcare provider when discussing PSA results.

How Much Alcohol Is Safe?

There's no truly safe amount of alcohol when it comes to health. Alcohol is a toxin, says Helfand. Our bodies can handle small amounts, he says, but repeated exposure can cause problems.

Helfand recommends drinking in moderation or completely avoiding alcohol for most people. Men at higher risk of prostate cancer, such as those with a family history of prostate cancer or genetic mutations like BRCA2, should be especially careful and consider abstaining from alcohol altogether, he says.

If you do choose to drink, current guidelines suggest keeping it to no more than two alcoholic beverages per day for men. Drinking more than that is linked to a higher cancer risk, says Taub. Cancer survivors should stay within these limits or avoid alcohol to support their long-term health, according to organizations like the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).

While some studies suggest that red wine may be less harmful when it comes to prostate cancer risk compared with beer and liquor, the findings are inconsistent. Experts agree that the safest choice for anyone concerned about their risk of prostate cancer or for anyone getting prostate cancer treatment is to avoid alcohol or limit intake. The less alcohol, the better for individuals with or at risk for prostate cancer, says Taub.

Replacing alcohol with nonalcoholic drinks is one way to support your health and lower your cancer risk. In addition to mocktails or nonalcoholic beer, other options include flavored or sparkling water, kombucha, and juices, to name a few. If you're thinking about cutting back on alcohol or you need help quitting, ask your healthcare provider to guide you to resources and support.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for resources near you.

The Takeaway

There's a link between heavy or long-term drinking and a higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer, though more research is needed.

Alcohol can interfere with prostate cancer treatment and recovery, making surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or targeted therapy less effective, with potentially worse side effects.

Drinking may also lower PSA levels, which can make prostate cancer harder to detect. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about your drinking habits when reviewing test results.

The safest choice for prostate health is to avoid alcohol or limit it to no more than two drinks per day, especially if you're at higher risk or you're currently getting prostate cancer treatment.