ALCOHOL triggers certain types of cancer, but it has never been clear how – until now.
Studies have suggested that high concentrations of acetaldehyde, which is produced as the body breaks down ethanol, could damage DNA in healthy cells. Now researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Bethesda, Maryland, have added weight to this idea by showing that the damage occurs at concentrations of acetaldehyde similar to those in saliva and the gastrointestinal tract while people drink alcohol.
Acetaldehyde appears to react with polyamines – naturally occurring compounds essential for cell growth – to create a particularly…
