In the wake of the US Surgeon General's new advisory warning about alcohol's link to several types of cancer, a Florida neurosurgeon said: “It's about time.”
Dr. Brett Osborne, who also runs a life-extension clinic, praised the new guidelines, noting that alcohol is a toxic substance.
“We've known this for eons, this is nothing new,” Osbourne told Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview.
Dr. Vivek Murthy issued the advice on Friday after research linked alcohol to at least seven types of cancer.
In particular, Murthy warned that alcohol can increase the risk of cancer of the throat, liver, esophagus, mouth, larynx (voice box), colon and rectum.
“I know the old adage that you can have a drink or two a day and it's good for your heart — no, it's not,” Osborne said.
“It's not good for your heart. It's not good for your brain. It's not good for your waistline.”
The doctor pointed out that alcohol can contribute to obesity, which is the “gateway to disease” for many types of cancer and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
“Anything that alcohol comes into contact with — your throat, your larynx, your esophagus, your stomach, your intestines, your rectum — they’re all exposed to toxins,” Osborne said.
The doctor warned that alcohol causes oxidative damage, when “free radicals” damage cells, tissues and DNA and lead to the formation of cancer.
In Osborne's neurosurgery practice, he saw firsthand the effects of alcohol on the brain.
“We know that people who drink alcohol have bad brains,” he said. “I actually had surgery two days ago.”
In this case, an alcoholic patient came to the hospital after having a bad fall. The man had a large blood clot on the surface of his brain, requiring emergency surgery.
“By virtue of the fact that he's an alcoholic… he's going to do poorly,” Osborne said.
“These patients, in general, and their organ systems in general, are dysfunctional, they are dysfunctional. Ultimately, it portends a poor outcome.”
For patients who currently drink alcohol, Osborne said they don't have to stop “cold turkey.”
“I get it. I respect the fact that this is part of your culture and social life.”
“But in the next year or so, can we get it down by 50%? And after a year, I say to them, ‘Okay, now another 50%, and then it tapers off.
According to Osborne, a person who consistently drinks more than one drink a day is considered an alcoholic.
“You, to some extent, depend on it,” he said.
“I don't want that in my practice. I don't want that for my patients. I don't use it myself. It's bad. Get rid of it.”
