Binge Drinking May Expose Women to Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes binge drinking as "as a pattern of drinking that brings a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. This typically happens when men consume 5 or more drinks, and when women consume 4 or more drinks, in about 2 hours". CDC also describes binge drinking as the "most common pattern of excessive alcohol consumption in America". Binge drinking has many adverse effects on heath ranging from liver disease, hypertension, and neurological damage to even stroke and other cardiovascular ailments.

Experts from the Umea University, Sweden have found an association between excessive alcohol consumption and high glucose levels in women. Binge drinking in women is therefore suggested to put them at an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. Experts followed the health of women who began binge drinking during adolescence and continued for the rest of their lives. At 40 years these women were tested to assess their blood glucose levels. Most of them had elevated blood glucose levels independent of BMI and hypertension. The same was not found true for men.

"There is growing evidence that moderate alcohol intake may be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disturbance in the world, but the mechanism by which alcohol may lead to atrial fibrillation is unknown," Gregory Marcus, researcher at the University of California, San Francisco was quoted by IANS.