Alcohol in moderation may protect older women from developing type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes.
Large Long-Term Study
An association between alcohol use and reduced diabetes risk has been observed previously, but most of the studies have focused on men. A new study examined data obtained from more than 16,000 women aged 49 to 70 years old, over the course of roughly six years.
Better Than Abstention or Excess
During the study, more than 750 women succumbed to diabetes. Women who drank moderate amounts of alcohol (5 to 30 grams per week) were much less likely to develop diabetes than both those who abstained and those who drank in excess of that amount.
Ten grams of alcohol is approximately one standard drink.
