Wee dram can cut cancer risk, says whisky consultant

  • The Guardian,
Having a wee dram of whisky can help reduce the risk of cancer according to the latest glass-raising toast to the health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption.

The suggestion that the odd drop of mature Scotch malt might be taken partly, if not purely, for medicinal purposes was offered at the opening of a scientific conference in Glasgow yesterday by - you've guessed it - a consultant to the whisky industry.

Previous claims have been made for whisky's help in protecting against heart disease, but Jim Swan suggested that its antioxidants, in the form of ellagic acid, worked to cut the risk of cancer too, by waging war on the unstable free radical atoms or molecules that hastened the need for cell replication. The more cells were replicated, the more chance of developing rogue cancer cells, he said.

Whisky's health benefits might be greater than red wine's, despite the latter's far better known reputation, he claimed. "Single malt whiskies have more ellagic acid than red wine. Ellagic acid is a highly effective free radical scavenger that absorbs or eats up rogue cells that occur in our bodies during eating.

"The free radicals can break down the DNA structure of our existing cells, which then leads to the risk of the body making replacement rogue cancer cells . So whether you indulge in the odd tipple, or you are a serious connoisseur, whisky can protect you from cancer and science proves it."

Dr Swan, who is currently assisting four new distillery start-ups, was speaking to the EuroMedlab conference hosted by the Association of Clinical Biochemists. He told the Guardian: "We are talking about the odd dram. I am not talking about a bottle a day," adding that the effect would be greater in well-aged whisky rather than a cheap blend.

Cancer Research UK warns that drinking too much can increase the risk of developing cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver and bowel.

Lesley Walker, the charity's head of cancer information, said: "We are very concerned that whisky is being promoted as a cancer prevention agent in the absence of population data to support it. On the contrary, there is considerable data documenting the link between drinking excess alcohol and the increased risk of cancers, particularly in smokers."

Ellagic acid was a powerful antioxidant, she said, but it was better coming from soft fruit than from a bottle.

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