Alcohol May Lower Risk of Kidney Cancer

Adding to the cacophony of conflicting recommendation about alcohol consumption, a new study finds that drinking two or more glasses of red wine might reduce your risk of kidney cancer. In a study comparing the drinking habits of kidney cancer patients to others, red-wine drinkers had 40% lower risk than non-drinkers, with white wine and strong beer producing similar results.

Light beer, strong wine and hard liquor, by contrast, did not seem to reduce risk, according to Reuters. Based on that discrepancy, it’s possible that the risk reduction is due to the phenols contained in wine and beer, which have antioxidant and antimutagenic properties. But because respondents who consumed a high amount of total ethanol also saw a 40% risk drop, researchers believe alcohol itself is responsible. (More alcohol stories.)