Scientists from Karolinska Institutet found new evidence about alcohol consumption is reduced by training.
Alcohol use is the seventh leading risk factor for both deaths and disability-adjusted life years globally.
Most of those with alcohol use disorder (AUD) never seek or receive treatment despite negative consequences for mental and physical health.
According to the researchers, perceived stigma and dissatisfaction with available treatments are common barriers to help-seeking. Thus, more effective and non-stigmatizing treatments are needed for treating alcohol use disorder.
In the study, researchers showed that aerobic exercise and yoga were equally effective in reducing alcohol consumption, compared to usual care.
The participants were 140 non-treatment seeking, physically inactive, adults diagnosed with AUD.
Participants in the two physical activity groups were supported to exercise 3 times/week for 12 weeks. Assessments were taken at baseline and 12-weeks—90% completed the ‘blinded’ follow-up assessment.
They also took blood samples to assess markers of somatic health, and objectively measured changes in physical activity using accelerometers.
The team conducted an acute exercise study, where participants cycled intensely for 12 minutes. Changes in cravings for alcohol, mood states, and anxiety were assessed before and after cycling.
They found alcohol drinking reduced approximately equally in all three groups, with the largest absolute reduction seen among yoga participants—6.9 standard drinks/week.
The reductions were strong and meaningful. This is great news; it means there are potentially effective treatment options available for people who do not wish to seek treatment through specialist clinics.
The researchers also found that single sessions of aerobic exercise reduced cravings for alcohol, lowered anxiety, and improved mood states.
This suggests that the optimal time to exercise is when cravings are high—typically in the afternoon or evening.
Repeatedly replacing alcohol with a brief session of exercise may ‘re-wire’ the brain to respond positively to the rewards associated with exercise, resulting in less craving.
Finally, both forms of exercise reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, with the largest reductions seen among yoga participants.
Feeling anxious or sad increases the likelihood of alcohol use, so it’s promising that exercise was shown to reduce these symptoms.
If you care about alcohol drinking, please read studies about the root cause of alcohol addiction, and many people don’t get drugs for alcohol problems.
For more information about wellness, please see recent studies that a coffee or tea break could help protect your liver health, and results showing compounds in both green and black tea may reduce your blood pressure.
The research was published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence and conducted by Mats Hallgren et al.
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