Study: Moderate alcohol consumption may reduce diabetes risk, lower insulin secretion

NEW YORK A new study found that alcohol intake may reduce risk of diabetes incidence, and may lower insulin secretion for those on a diabetes-prevention regimen.

The study, published in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consisted of 3,175 participants with impaired glucose tolerance, elevated fasting glucose and a body mass index of 24 kg/m2 or greater. Participants were randomly assigned to receive placebo, metformin, or lifestyle modification. With use of a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire, alcohol intake was evaluated at baseline and at one year. During follow-up (mean duration, 3.2 years), incident diabetes was diagnosed by annual oral-glucose-tolerance testing and semiannual fasting plasma glucose measurement.

"Despite overall low rates of alcohol consumption, there was a reduced risk of incident diabetes in those who reported modest daily alcohol intake and were assigned to metformin or lifestyle modification," the study authors wrote. "Moderate daily alcohol intake is associated with lower insulin secretion — an effect that warrants further investigation.

"The potential benefits of alcohol use in preventing diabetes may be limited to those who are actively pursuing other therapies to reduce risk," the study authors conclude. "Moderate alcohol intake was associated with decreased insulin secretion, independent of insulin sensitivity. The effect of chronic alcohol consumption on glucose metabolism, especially b cell function, warrants further investigation."