Alcohol (ethanol)
Toxins · Neurotoxic psychoactive
Critical priority
What this is
The J-curve (moderate drinking cardioprotective) has been largely reanalyzed away — recent Mendelian randomization and bias-corrected analyses (Zhao 2023 JAMA Network Open) suggest no benefit at any level. Canada 2023 became the first major country to dramatically lower guidance. IARC-classified carcinogen at any dose. Biohacker community largely shifting to near-abstinence.
Mechanism
Ethanol → acetaldehyde (IARC Group 1 carcinogen) → acetate; central nervous system depressant via GABA-A, NMDA antagonism; metabolized by ADH → ALDH2 (common E. Asian deficiency polymorphism)
Dose & route
Less is better; 0 is optimal for cancer risk; those who drink: never daily, never more than 1-2 at a sitting
Citations
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37017972/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30146330/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10091798/
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This is an independent synthesis of published research by a non-clinician. Scores are opinions supported by citations, not prescriptions. See the full disclaimer and methodology for how this score was produced and what it does and doesn't mean.