Alcohol consumption protect you from diabetes?

A recent study raised a question of safety of alcohol drinking again. The result suggests that a certain amount of consuming alcohol is related to the lowered risk of diabetes.

Independent: Drinking wine or beer up to four times a week can protect against diabetes, researchers say

This cohort study was conducted in Denmark with more than 70,000 participants for five years. The onset of diabetes was observed as an endpoint in approximately 1,700 people. The relative risk ratio was 0.70 (0.67-0.94 in 95% Confidence Interval) for men who consume beer 1-6 times in a week compared to teetotallers. In contrast, spirits drinking more than once a day raised the risk for 1.83 times (1,29-2.58) in women.

Deabetologia: Alcohol drinking patterns and risk of diabetes: a cohort study of 70,551 men and women from the general Danish population

This study is a large prospective cohort. And it was published in a leading academic journal. The author constructed a study design in which major confounding factors were adjusted in advance. Therefore, the suggested outcome is relatively reliable, I think.

However, the possibility of reverse causality cannot be denied. People prefer to drink wine or beer may be likely to be healthier to those who like spirits. I do not recommend you to take a binge drinking according to this study.

The pros and cons of alcohol consumption on your health have been debated repeatedly. Recent studies emphasize its disadvantage. At least, liver damage and dependence are serious risks regarding alcohol drinking. You should be aware of the latest discussion.