A recent study has found some interesting results – that moderate drinkers are often thinner than those who don’t touch alcohol at all.
I know most of you are thinking that you didn’t read that right. Surely not?
This study was published in 2011 in The Archives of Internal Medicine, and indicated that it has something to do with the substance ethanol being present in all alcoholic beverages.
This study showed ethanol improved the test participant’s response to the hormone insulin which helps to regulate blood sugar and keep it balanced and in the desired normal range.
The report in the archives also went onto mention that from balancing your blood sugar you can stop your body from moving glucose directly into your fat cells.
Another study has found other evidence of the blood sugar balancing theory that can be achieved by drinking alcohol. This time, the study was carried out by the Harvard School of Public Health study, and concluded that drinking one to two alcoholic drinks a day could lower your risk of diabetes by 36 percent.
But then researchers at the Mayo Clinic suggest that drinking small amounts of alcohol is preferable when trying to keep off the weight, as they noted that too much alcohol can actually cause weight gain, especially around the stomach region.
According to a statement from Michael Jensen, MD, who is an endocrine expert and obesity researcher at the Mayo Clinic,
“In general, alcohol intake is associated with bigger waists, because when you drink alcohol, the liver burns alcohol instead of fat.”
So whilst more testing needs to be done to convince us all that drinking alcohol can help you lose weight, the overall goal for those that wish to drink alcohol, should perhaps be do so in moderation only. Perhaps sticking to the ‘one to two a day only’ rule as published in The Archives of Internal Medicine suggested.
I would still like to place emphasis on the point that binge drinking, which involves drinking many times above the daily allowance for men and woman, should be avoided at all costs. Not only to prevent your waistline expanding, but to prevent you getting into some serious trouble!