HPV and alcohol: is there a link?

Possibly, but the evidence is limited. In 2015, researchers at the Moffitt Cancer Center in the US looked at 1,313 men and found that those who drank the most alcohol, about 10 grams a day or more, were a little more likely to have HPV, including the types linked to cancer.

The study looked at a single point in time, so it couldn’t show whether alcohol caused the infections, and the authors said the results couldn’t be considered causal. Other studies have found mixed results. A 2014 study that followed women in Korea for up to 2 years linked drinking with high-risk HPV staying in the cervix for longer, while a 2026 study of 699 men living with HIV found no link between alcohol and high-risk HPV in the mouth.

HPV (human papillomavirus) is a very common group of viruses. Most people get some type of HPV during their lives, usually without symptoms, and the body usually clears it within 2 years.

Some types cause genital warts. Others, called high-risk types, can cause cancer. Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV, as are most cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis and anus, and some head and neck cancers. Read more in “Can I get genital warts if my partner has them?”

Alcohol and HPV are both causes of mouth and throat cancer:

• Alcohol causes around 35% of mouth cancers in the UK, and 7 types of cancer in all, including breast, bowel and liver cancer. There’s no completely safe level of drinking when it comes to cancer.
• HPV causes around half of oropharyngeal cancers in the UK. This is a type of throat cancer. The main type of HPV found in these cancers is HPV 16.

Smoking and drinking together raise the risk of mouth and throat cancers even further. Read more in “Michael Douglas and HPV: the link between oral sex and throat cancer”

Drinking can affect the choices you make. The NHS says binge drinking can lead to losing self-control, such as having unprotected sex. Condoms lower the risk of HPV, although they don’t cover all the skin around the genitals, so they don’t protect you completely.

The NHS advises not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week, and spreading your drinking over 3 or more days if you do drink that much.

• Get the HPV vaccine if you’re offered it. It protects against the types of HPV that cause most genital warts and cervical cancers, and it’s offered to all children aged 12 to 13 in the UK.
• Use condoms.
• Stop smoking. Smoking makes it harder for the body to clear HPV.

Read more in “Can you get HPV from kissing?”

Cervical screening

In England, people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 are invited for cervical screening every 5 years. The sample is checked for high-risk types of HPV first, and it’s only checked for cell changes if HPV is found. Cervical screening used to be called a smear test.

HPV tests for men

There’s no blood test for HPV. At Better2Know, men can be tested for HPV if they have a visible wart or growth that can be swabbed. Read more in “Do you need a smear test if you are still a virgin?”

Better2Know offers:

• HPV (Human Papillomavirus) and Genital Warts: a swab test for HPV, with results in 3 days. Women can have a cervical HPV test at any time, and men need a visible wart or growth that can be swabbed. You can book it at one of our clinics.
• HPV home test: a vaginal swab you take yourself, which checks for 14 high-risk types of HPV, with results in 3 days.
• Blemish Screen: if you have a lump or bump on or around your genitals, it tests a swab for HPV, Herpes 1, Herpes 2 and Syphilis, with results in 5 days.

Not sure which test you need? Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Does drinking alcohol cause HPV?

No. HPV is passed on through skin-to-skin contact, usually during sex. Some studies have linked heavier drinking with a higher chance of having HPV, but they couldn’t show that alcohol was the cause.

Does cervical screening check for HPV?

Yes. In the UK, cervical screening checks the sample for high-risk types of HPV first.

Is HPV the same as genital warts?

No. Genital warts are caused by some types of HPV, mostly types 6 and 11. The types that can cause cancer are different.

A link between alcohol and HPV hasn’t been proven, but alcohol and HPV are both causes of mouth and throat cancer, so cutting down on drinking is good for your health either way. The best protection against HPV is the vaccine and condoms, and regular cervical screening helps protect against cervical cancer.

Book an HPV test at a clinic near you or order a home test kit. Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Not in the UK? Choose your country from the selector at the top of the page for local tests and prices.

This article originally appeared on 27 March 2015 and was last updated on 1 October 2026.

This article is general information and not a substitute for personal medical advice.

Sources

1. Schabath MB, Thompson ZJ, Egan KM, et al. Alcohol consumption and prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among US men in the HPV in Men (HIM) study. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2015;91(1):61-67. https://sti.bmj.com/content/91/1/61
2. Oh HY, Kim MK, Seo S, et al. Alcohol consumption and persistent infection of high-risk human papillomavirus. Epidemiology and Infection, published online 4 September 2014; 2015;143(7):1442-1450. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/alcohol-consumption-and-persistent-infection-of-highrisk-human-papillomavirus/E5749FBBB10DB180FF83842913CC5488
3. Beltrame A, Villa LL, Lazcano-Ponce E, et al. Alcohol consumption and oral human papillomavirus infection among men living with HIV: a cross-sectional study from the ULACNet 201 trial. Scientific Reports, 29 May 2026. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-55676-6
4. NHS, Human papillomavirus (HPV), reviewed 10 March 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/human-papilloma-virus-hpv/
5. NHS, HPV vaccine, reviewed 1 September 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/hpv-vaccine/
6. NHS, What is cervical screening?, reviewed 26 June 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/cervical-screening/what-is-cervical-screening/
7. NHS, When you’ll be invited for cervical screening, reviewed 26 June 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/cervical-screening/when-youll-be-invited/
8. Cancer Research UK, Does HPV cause cancer?, reviewed 24 January 2024. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/infections-hpv-and-cancer/hpv-and-cancer
9. Cancer Research UK, How does alcohol cause cancer?, reviewed 1 September 2023. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/alcohol-and-cancer/does-alcohol-cause-cancer
10. Cancer Research UK, Risks and causes of mouth and oropharyngeal cancer, reviewed 1 August 2024. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/mouth-cancer/risks-causes
11. NHS, The risks of drinking too much, reviewed 10 September 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/the-risks-of-drinking-too-much/
12. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, National guideline for the management of anogenital warts in adults, 2024. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/resources/agw_2024.pdf