Alcohol consumption in relation to metabolic regulation, inflammation, and adiponectin in 64-year-old Caucasian women: a population-based study with a focus on impaired glucose regulation.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to examine alcohol drinking patterns in women with type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and to investigate whether alcohol intake was associated with improved insulin sensitivity, decreased biomarkers of inflammation, and increased adiponectin levels and if these effects were limited to dysmetabolic women.


METHODS
From a cohort of 64-year-old Caucasian women, 209 with type 2 diabetes, 205 with IGT, and 186 with NGT were recruited. Alcohol consumption and medication use were assessed by questionnaires. Anthropometric data were collected, and blood glucose, insulin, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, and serum adiponectin were measured.


RESULTS
Compared with the NGT group, alcohol consumption was lower in the IGT group and lowest in the diabetes group. Mean alcohol intakes of >9.2 and > or =3-9 g/day were positively associated with adiponectin and insulin sensitivity (homeostasis model assessment [HOMA]), respectively, independently of obesity, metabolic control, and other confounders. Alcohol intake correlated negatively with inflammatory markers, although this did not remain after adjustment for HOMA and waist circumference. The inverse associations between alcohol consumption and factors related to the metabolic syndrome such as HOMA, waist circumference, and inflammatory markers were more obvious among women with diabetes and IGT than in healthy women.


CONCLUSIONS
In these women, moderate alcohol consumption showed beneficial associations with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, IGT, insulin sensitivity, and serum adiponectin. There is a need to clarify whether adiponectin may be a mechanistic link and also to clarify the clinical implications of these observations.
Wallenberg Laboratory for Cardiovascular Research, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE-413 45 Göteborg, Sweden.
Linda
L
Englund Ogge
Gerhard
G
Brohall
Carl Johan
CJ
Behre
Caroline
C
Schmidt
Björn
B
Fagerberg
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D049628:Body Size; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007328:Insulin; D005947:Glucose