Insulin sensitivity and regular alcohol consumption: large, prospective, cross sectional population study (Bruneck study)

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Abstract
Objectives: To assess the relation between regular alcohol consumption and insulin sensitivity, and to estimate the importance of insulin in the association of alcohol with multiple vascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease. Design: Prospective and cross sectional study of a large randomly selected population sample. Setting: Part of the Bruneck study 1990–5 (Bolzano province, Italy). Subjects: 820 healthy non-diabetic women and men aged 40–79 years. Main outcome measure: Concentrations of fasting and post-glucose insulin, cholesterol, apolipoproteins, triglycerides, Lp(a) lipoprotein, glucose, fibrinogen, and antithrombin III; blood pressure; insulin resistance estimated by the homeostasis model assessment. Results: Fasting insulin concentrations in those who did not drink alcohol and subjects reporting low (1–50 g/day), moderate (51–99 g/day), and heavy (>/=100 g/day) alcohol intake were 12.4, 10.0, 8.7, and 7.1 mU/l (PConclusions: Low to moderate amounts of alcohol, when taken on a regular basis, improve insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a potential intermediate component in the association between alcohol consumption and vascular risk factors (metabolic syndrome). Regular alcohol consumption predicted multiple changes of vascular risk factors over a five year period This alcohol associated metabolic syndrome is in part attributable to the decline in insulin concentrations

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