1. Alcohol and oral cancer. Ogden, G.R. Unit of Oral Surgery & Medicine, University of Dundee Dental School and Hospital, Park Place, United Kingdom. Alcohol, 2005 Apr;35(3):169-73. [↩]
  2. Alcohol metabolism and cancer risk. Seitz, H.K., Becker, P. Center of Alcohol Research, Liver Disease and Nutrition, Salem Medical Center, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Alcohol Research & Health. 2007;30(1):38-41, 44-7. [↩]
  3. Alcohol as a cause of cancer. Thomas, D.B. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington. Environmental Health Perspective, 1995 November; 103(Suppl 8): 153-160. [↩]
  4. Alcohol and Cancer. Boffetta, P., Hashibe, M. Lancet Oncology, 2006 Feb;7(2):149-56. [↩]

A new survey from Cancer Research UK polled 4,000 adults to expose some common misconceptions about alcohol. Turns out a buzzed state may not make us better looking or transform us into freaks in the sheets. Here are the stats:

  1. Only 13 percent of women found their partner more appealing after they (not their partner) have downed a drink.
  2. Nearly one in two women (42 percent) said seeing their partner drunk is a turn-off.
  3. One in five (22 percent) of men said they were better lovers after a night out drinking.
  4. Nearly half of the women polled (42 percent) said their partner wasn't better in bed after drinking.
  5. 43 percent of men said they were funnier after a few drinks.
  6. Two in five men believed they were better dancers after drinking.
  7. More than one-third (37 percent) of women said alcohol didn't help their partner's dance floor skills.
  8. More than one quarter (28 percent) of men admitted to making calls or texts when drunk that they later regretted.

Why It Matters

Cancer Research UK released the survey to help urge drinkers to go dry for their campaign, aptly dubbed "Dryathlon." The challenge:Lay off the booze throughout the month of January to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. And it's easy as non-alcoholic pie. Sign up and get sponsored by friends and family or donate money yourself; then spread the word on Facebook and Twitter.

It might sound daunting to drop the champagne flutes after New Year’s Eve, cork the wine bottle until February, and sip on water at the bar, but thankfully, the Dryathlon offers up a cheat day. Participants (known as dryathletes) can purchase a Golden Pass to use for a birthday shindig or Bachelor party. With a suggested donation of £15, the pass buys 24 hours off from the challenge.

Not convinced to drop the bottle for a month? There's a tool on the site to calculate how much money and how many calories dryathletes save by going dry for a month. This year's dryathlon (the first ever) is only taking place in the U.K., but anyone anywhere can donate money or sponsor a dryathlete.