In a new study from Tulane University, researchers found drinking a glass or two of wine with meals – but not at other times – may help lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
The findings add to a body of research suggesting alcohol consumption, which can harm health even when done in moderation, also may have some health benefits.
The effects of alcohol consumption on health have been described as a double-edged sword because of its apparent abilities to cut deeply in either direction – harmful or helpful, depending on how it is consumed.
While some clinical trials have suggested moderate drinking may help glucose metabolism, it remains unclear whether glucose metabolism benefits translate into a reduction of Type 2 diabetes.
In the study, the team analyzed health data for 312,388 healthy drinkers from the United Kingdom who were 56 years old on average.
After about a decade of follow-up, those who said they drank alcohol with meals were 14% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who reported drinking alcohol outside of mealtime.
The benefits of alcohol consumption during meals were strongest for people who drank wine.
A lower rate of Type 2 diabetes occurred only for people who drank in moderation – up to one 14-gram glass of wine – about 5 ounces – for women, and up to two glasses – about 10 ounces of wine – for men.
The link between drinking alcohol and developing Type 2 diabetes nonetheless remains controversial.
These data suggest that it’s not the alcohol with meals but other ingredients in wine, perhaps antioxidants, that may be the factor in potentially reducing new-onset Type 2 diabetes.
While the type of wine, red versus white, needs to be defined and validation of these findings and mechanisms of benefit are needed, the results suggest that if you are consuming alcohol with meals, wine may be a better choice.
The team says that women who are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant, people under the age of 21 and those with certain health conditions should not drink alcohol.
And people who do not already drink alcohol should not start, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Those who do drink regularly should consult with a health care provider about the benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about a critical trigger for type 2 diabetes, and the best and worst fruits for people with diabetes.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about whether ginger could benefit people with diabetes, and results showing a promising new way to treat type 2 diabetes.
The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health conference and was conducted by Dr. Hao Ma et al.
Copyright © 2022 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
