Drinking Alcohol 3 to 4 Days a Week Tied to Lowest Risk for Diabetes

By Amy Orciari Herman

Edited by André Sofair, MD, MPH, and William E. Chavey, MD, MS

Moderate drinking spread out over several days during the week is associated with the lowest risk for diabetes, according to a study in Diabetologia.

Some 70,000 Danish adults without diabetes completed questionnaires about their drinking habits and then were followed for a median of 5 years, during which 2% developed diabetes.

The lowest diabetes risks were among men who reported consuming 14 drinks per week and women who consumed 9 drinks per week. After multivariable adjustment, men who consumed 7–13 drinks or 14 or more drinks over 3–4 days weekly had 30%–40% lower risks for diabetes than those who consumed less than 1 drink weekly. Women who consumed 1–6 drinks or 7 or more drinks over 3–4 days saw similar risk reductions.

The researchers point to numerous study limitations but conclude, "Our results further indicate that frequent consumption of alcohol is associated with the lowest risk of diabetes." As one potential mechanism, they note that the polyphenols in red wine "may exert beneficial effects on blood glucose control ... thereby lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes."