White Wine vs. Red Wine: Which Is Greater Cancer Risk?

White Wine vs. Red Wine: Which Is Greater Cancer Risk?

Do you think red wine is safer? A new study shows that both red and white wines pose similar cancer risks - but white wine may pack an extra punch at skin cancer.

A study recently published in the journalNutrientsResearched whether the incidence of cancer differs depending on whether one consumes red or white wine.

Carcinogenic effects of alcoholic beverages

Over several decades ago, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified alcoholic beverages as Group 1 carcinogens, indicating that no alcohol consumption is considered safe for human health. Some of the most common cancers that can be directly linked to alcohol consumption include colon cancer and female breast cancer. In 2020, approximately 4.1% of global cancer cases were due to alcohol consumption.

After consuming alcohol, the liver metabolizes ethanol to acetaldehyde, a highly reactive and toxic compound. Acetaldehyde can form Schiff base adducts with DNA and cellular proteins, increasing the risk of point mutations and DNA-DNA and DNA-protein cross-links.

It is generally perceived that red wine is a healthier option than white wine because it contains higher numbers of antioxidants such as polymeric tannins and flavonoids. Interestingly, a recent Canadian survey found that 41% of respondents were unsure whether red wine reduces the risk of cancer or not, even though alcohol consumption can lead to cancer.

Previous studies have shown that resveratrol, a polyphenol compound found in red wine, limits the proliferation of various types of cancer cells. However, several epidemiological studies have refuted these findings, indicating that red wine consumption increases the risk of many cancers, including those affecting the lung, ovaries, skin and breast.

To date, few studies have evaluated differences in cancer risk by wine type.

About the study

The current study reviewed published research to identify possible differences in carcinogenicity risk between red and white wine. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the association between red and white wine consumption and the risk of all and site-specific cancers.

All relevant studies published up to December 2023 were obtained from PubMed and Embase databases. The current meta-analysis only included prospective cohort and case-control studies with more than three categories of wine consumption.

The midpoint of wine intake was determined for each included study. For dose-response analysis, wine intake was measured in grams of ethanol per day.

A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to measure relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for an association between wine consumption and overall cancer risk.

Study results

Of the 252 articles obtained from the primary search, 42 articles, 20 and 22, cohort and case-control studies, respectively, were selected for meta-analysis. The RRs for overall cancer risk were 0.98 for red wine and 1.00 for white wine. Therefore, no difference was observed between red and white wine consumption in terms of overall cancer risk.

When only cohort studies were considered, a stronger and more significant association was observed between white wine and cancer risk, while no association was observed for red wine intake. Although no significant difference between red and white wine consumption for overall cancer risk was observed in men, this association was significant in women.

Dose-response analyzes using case-control data showed that every additional 10 grams of ethanol from red wine per day was associated with a 5% increase in overall cancer risk. However, this association was not observed in cohort studies.

White wine consumption was associated with a 22% increased risk of skin cancer compared to red wine consumption. Both wine types were associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, with no significant difference in incidence risk rates between wine types. After removing the most influential study, no significant difference was observed between red and white wine in overall cancer risk.

Conclusions

The study results confirm that red and white wine are associated with a similar risk of cancer. However, only white wine was linked to an increased risk of skin cancer.

Drinking red wine may not be better than drinking white wine in terms of cancer risk. “

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