Everyone has heard about the health benefits inherent to drinking red wine. While red wine may offer some benefits to the heart, little research exists involving alcohol's risk to breast cancer.

Although there is no direct evidence linking the two, current knowledge regarding the effects of alcohol implies the possibility of increasing breast cancer risk. By nature, alcohol reduces the blood levels of folic acid. Folic acid is a B vitamin that fights against it. The folic acid reduction is a real worry for women who drink heavily as it could dramatically increase their risk.

There are a variety of ways in which folic acid can be replenished to combat the effects of alcohol. One obvious solution is to take a multivitamin or folic acid tablet. Additionally, there are many foods which contain folic acid. Many great vegetables, such as spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and split peas are rich in folic acid. Beans are also a good source of folic acid.

Beyond folic acid depletion, preliminary research suggests another possible detrimental link between breast cancer and alcohol. The healthful plant chemicals found in wine, called phenols, could attach to estrogen receptors on breast cells. This cell attachment could potentially fuel the growth of the cancer.

While alcohol, such as red wine, may offer some health benefits, research still needs to be conducted to understand any possible cancer risks. In order to reduce any possible alcohol induced breast cancer risk, it is important to drink only in moderation. For more information about this and other breast cancer information please visit http://help4breastcancer.com