- Heavy alcohol consumption is linked to several health issues.
- However, there has been debate about whether light-to-moderate drinking might be beneficial to health.
- Previous studies have linked moderate drinking to decreased risk for diabetes and obesity.
- However, new research indicates that it does not protect against these conditions.
- Experts say moderate alcohol intake may not be as beneficial as we once believed.
Currently, the
This means that adult males do not drink more than two drinks in any given day when alcohol is consumed. Women are advised to limit their drinking to one drink or less.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a “
On the other hand, it remains less certain what effect moderate alcohol consumption might have. Some studies have found lower levels of alcohol to be protective from various diseases while others seem to indicate increased risk.
Information from the American Diabetes Association suggests that there may be some benefits to moderate drinking for those with diabetes. They note that it may improve blood sugar management, insulin sensitivity, and A1C levels.
However, new research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that even light-to-moderate alcohol intake may not protect people from conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
According to the study’s lead author, Tianyuan Lu, PhD, it has long been debated just what effect light-to-moderate drinking might have.
“Some previous observational studies showed that light-to-moderate drinking was associated with reduced risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes,” he noted, “but these results could be biased due to confounding or reverse causation.”
Lu said, for this study, his team implemented a more rigorous method called “Mendelian randomization” in order to provide an estimate of the potential causal effects of drinking as people’s level of drinking increased.
Dr. David Hu, vice president and medical director at Zinnia Health, who did not take part in the study, said this complex method was used in order to remove any possible statistical bias. People who are light-to-moderate drinkers tend to have other lifestyle factors that could account for their improved health, he said.
To perform their analysis, they examined the self-reported alcohol consumption of 408,540 people from the UK Biobank, a large, long-term study being conducted in the United Kingdom which is looking at how genes and environment impact disease development.
After analyzing the data, they found that those who had more than 14 drinks weekly had higher fat mass and a higher risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Additionally, this link was stronger for women than men.
“Light-to-moderate drinking does not protect against obesity and type 2 diabetes,” Lu concluded, “while heavy drinking clearly demonstrates adverse health impacts.”
Dr. John Mendelson, chief medical officer at Ria Health, who was also not involved in the research, said, “This study puts another nail in the coffin for the health benefits of alcohol.
“Like all else in life individuals need to balance the risks and benefits of behaviors to live a happy and healthy life,” he said. “This study shows that alcohol will not improve your health.”
Hu added that previously it has been felt that light-to-moderate alcohol use might have some health benefits.
However, “these modest health benefits are overshadowed by increased health risks in other areas like accidental injuries, diabetes, and even cancer,” he said.
Hu additionally noted that the results obtained are consistent with more recent research showing that any benefits of light-to-moderate drinking are either very small or even non-existent.
He acknowledged, however, that the health risks associated with light-to-moderate drinking (on average, 1 drink per day or less) are small and much less problematic than tobacco or other drug use.
In addition to being aware of what constitutes a standard drink, the
If you are seeking to reduce your consumption, they recommend the following:
- Keep only a small quantity or no alcohol at all at home.
- Drink slowly when you do drink.
- Take a break from alcohol.
- Learn to say no.
- Stay active.
- Get support from friends or family.
- Watch out for places where you feel tempted to drink.
Finally, they advise that you shouldn’t give up if you aren’t immediately successful. Like any change, it can take time to alter your drinking habits.
