DIabetes: 'smart insulin patch' could revolutionize glucose control

Patients with diabetes have to control their blood sugar by regularly pricking their finger and giving themselves insulin shots. The procedure is painful and imprecise - injecting the wrong amount of insulin can lead to serious complications, and in some cases, coma and death.

The researchers aim to develop a smart insulin patch that would only need to be changed every few days.
Image credit: Zhen Gu

Now, the development of a "smart insulin patch" could one day make such an ordeal a thing of the past for the millions of Americans who suffer from diabetes, according to the team behind the innovation, which includes members from the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill and NC State in Raleigh.

The smart patch - a square sliver of tape no larger than a penny - has more than a hundred microneedles, each about the size of an eyelash, containing tiny reservoirs of insulin and glucose-sensing enzymes.

The device - which can be placed anywhere on the body - senses when blood sugar levels get too high and rapidly discharges the right amount of insulin into the bloodstream.

In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the diabetes doctors and biomedical engineers that invented the painless patch describe how they tested it in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes and showed it lowered blood glucose for several hours.

While it shows great promise, it is too early to say if and when the patch can be used in human patients - the team says more tests and then clinical trials are needed.

Patch mimics body's own system for generating insulin

The smart insulin patch works by mimicking the body's own system for generating insulin - the beta cells of the pancreas - which produce and store insulin in tiny sacs or vesicles. They also sense changes in blood sugar and signal insulin to be released from the vesicles as needed.

The team constructed artificial vesicles that perform in a similar way out of two natural materials - hyaluronic acid (HA) used in cosmetics and 2-nitroimidazole (NI), an organic compound used in diagnostics.

Together, the two compounds form a molecule that is water-loving at one end (the HA part) and water-repellent at the other (the NI part). Groups of the molecule self-assemble into vesicles - rather like oil droplets do in water - with the water repellent ends on the inside and the water-loving ends on the outside.

The researchers found they could insert a core of solid insulin and enzymes designed to detect glucose into the artificial vesicles, which in large numbers formed millions of bubble-like nanostructures, each 100 times smaller than the thickness of human hair.

When they tested the intelligent insulin nanoparticles in the lab, the team found they responded to raised blood sugar. The excess glucose molecules entered the artificial vesicles, using up oxygen as the enzymes on board converted them into gluconic acid. This reduction in oxygen or "hypoxia" makes the water-repellent NI end of the molecules that make up the vesicles become water-loving, and the vesicles dissolve and release insulin into the bloodstream.

Patch kept blood sugar normal in diabetic mice for hours

The next step for the researchers was to find a way to administer the artificial vesicles to diabetes patients. This is when they turned to the idea of tiny microneedles incorporated into a patch, rather than rely on the large needles or catheters of the "closed-loop systems" of other approaches to glucose-sensitive insulin delivery.

They eventually produced a silicon strip with over a hundred microneedles that pierce the skin and tap into the blood flowing in the underlying capillaries. Each microneedle contains a reservoir of the artificial vesicles.

The team tested the invention in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes. They gave one group of mice a standard insulin injection - the levels dropped to normal but then quickly rose to hyperglycemic levels.

But when they treated another group of diabetic mice with the patch, their blood sugar levels normalized within half an hour and stayed that way for several hours.

The researchers also found that by varying the dose of enzyme, they could fine-tune the patch to alter glucose levels within certain ranges.

A 'game changer' for diabetes patients

Mice are less sensitive to insulin than humans, so the researchers believe that the patches could last even longer in human patients. The researchers aim to develop a smart insulin patch that would only need to be changed every few days.

Such a prospect would be a "game changer" for diabetes patients, explains co-senior author John Buse, a professor of medicine and past president of the American Diabetes Association:

"The hard part of diabetes care is not the insulin shots, or the blood sugar checks, or the diet but the fact that you have to do them all several times a day every day for the rest of your life."

Co-senior author Zhen Gu, a professor in biomedical engineering, says:

"We have designed a patch for diabetes that works fast, is easy to use, and is made from nontoxic, biocompatible materials. The whole system can be personalized to account for a diabetic's weight and sensitivity to insulin, so we could make the smart patch even smarter."

There are more than 387 million people with diabetes worldwide, and the number is predicted to rise to 592 million by 2035.

Funds from the NC TraCS Institute and the American Diabetes Association helped finance the research.

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Eat protein before carbohydrates to lower post-meal glucose

In a new study, researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, NY, found that the order in which different types of food are consumed has a significant impact on post-meal glucose and insulin levels in obese people. Writing in the journal Diabetes Care, the authors suggest their findings may have dietary implications for diabetic and other high-risk patients.

Eating protein, vegetables and fat before carbohydrates in a meal may help to keep glucose and insulin levels low.

For people with type 2 diabetes, it is important to maintain normal glucose levels after eating, because if their blood sugar level spikes then they are at increased risk of complications, including hardening of the arteries and heart disease, which can eventually lead to death.

Some previous studies had found that eating vegetables or protein before carbohydrates could be an effective way to lower post-meal glucose levels. The researchers behind the new study wanted to see whether this association applied to a typical Western diet, with meals consisting of a mix of vegetables, protein carbohydrates and fat.

In the study, 11 patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes who were taking metformin - a drug that helps control glucose levels - ate the same meals in different orders 1 week apart, so that the researchers could observe how their glucose levels were affected.

The set meal consisted of ciabatta bread, orange juice, chicken breast, lettuce and tomato salad with low-fat dressing and steamed broccoli with butter.

Glucose and insulin levels lower when carbohydrates were eaten last

The researchers first took the patients' glucose levels in the morning, 12 hours after they last ate. On the first day of the study, the participants were told to consume the carbohydrates in their meal (ciabatta bread and orange juice) first, and to follow this 15 minutes later by the protein, vegetables and fat in the meal. The participants' glucose levels were checked 30, 60 and 120 minutes after eating.

The experiment was then repeated 1 week later, except this time the food order was reversed - the protein, vegetables and fat were eaten first, with the carbohydrates consumed 15 minutes later.

When the vegetables and protein were eaten before the carbohydrates, the researchers found that glucose levels were 29%, 37% and 17% lower at the 30, 60 and 120-minute checks, compared with when carbohydrates were consumed first. Also, insulin was found to be significantly lower when the participants ate vegetables and protein first.

"Based on this finding, instead of saying 'don't eat that' to their patients, clinicians might instead say, 'eat this before that,'" says senior author Dr. Louis Aronne, the Sanford I. Weill Professor of Metabolic Research and a professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Dr. Aronne acknowledges that follow-up work is required - the findings are from a pilot study with a very small sample group - but says that "based on this finding, patients with type 2 might be able to make a simple change to lower their blood sugar throughout the day, decrease how much insulin they need to take, and potentially have a long-lasting, positive impact on their health."

"Carbohydrates raise blood sugar, but if you tell someone not to eat them - or to drastically cut back - it's hard for them to comply. This study points to an easier way that patients might lower their blood sugar and insulin levels," Dr. Aronne concludes.

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Could high blood sugar be a cause of Alzheimer's disease?

While nobody knows exactly what causes the complex brain changes that lead to Alzheimer's disease, scientists suspect one of the drivers is the accumulation of plaques of a faulty protein called beta-amyloid. Now, a new study of mice shows how too much sugar in the blood can speed up the production of the protein.

The researchers suggest their findings will lead to new treatments that reduce the harmful effects of high blood sugar on the brain.

Earlier studies have pointed to diabetes - where the body fails to control high blood sugar naturally with insulin - as a possible contributor to Alzheimer's disease, but the new study links high blood sugar itself to beta-amyloid.

Researchers from the School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) report their findings inThe Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Lead author and postdoctoral research scholar Dr. Shannon Macauley says:

"Our results suggest that diabetes, or other conditions that make it hard to control blood sugar levels, can have harmful effects on brain function and exacerbate neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease."

She and her colleagues suggest their finding could lead to new treatment targets to reduce the harmful effects of high blood sugar on the brain.

Doubling of blood glucose led to 20% higher levels of beta-amyloid

For their study, the team used mice bred to develop a condition that is like Alzheimer's in humans - as they age their brains accumulate amyloid plaques.

When they infused glucose into the bloodstream of young mice, they found their brains produced beta-amyloid faster. A doubling of blood glucose led to 20% higher levels of beta-amyloid compared with mice that had normal blood glucose levels.

When the team repeated the experiment in older mice that already had amyloid plaques in their brains, beta-amyloid levels rose by 40%.

Closer examination revealed that sudden elevation of blood sugar increased brain cell activity, which stimulates them to make more beta-amyloid.

The team found that openings called KATP channels were an important feature of increased beta-amyloid. These ATP-sensitive potassium channels sit on the surface of brain cells and close when glucose levels get too high. When the channels are closed, the neurons are more likely to fire.

Under normal conditions, neurons fire to encode and send information - a basic function essential for learning and memory. But too much firing in certain areas of the brain increases beta-amyloid, which makes it more likely that plaques will form and encourage the development of Alzheimer's, the authors suggest.

KATP channel 'directly links glucose, brain cell activity and beta-amyloid'

In a final set of experiments, the team injected diazoxide straight into the brains of mice (to bypass the blood brain barrier). Diazoxide is a glucose-elevating drug that is used to treat low blood sugar.

The drug forced the KATP channels to stay open as glucose levels rose. Under these conditions, the brain cells produced beta-amyloid at the normal rate - it did not speed up.

The team concludes this result shows that the KATP channel directly links glucose levels with brain cell activity and rate of beta-amyloid production.

The researchers are already exploring the link further using diabetes drugs in Alzheimer's-like mice.

KATP channels feature in all kinds of cells, not just brain cells. For example, they feature in the pancreatic cells that make insulin - the enzyme the body uses to control blood sugar.

Commenting on the contribution of their findings, Dr. Macauley says:

"This observation opens up a new avenue of exploration for how Alzheimer's disease develops in the brain as well as offers a new therapeutic target for the treatment of this devastating neurologic disorder."

She and her colleagues are also looking into how raised glucose levels may interfere with how different parts of the brain work together in cognitive functioning.

Funds for the study came from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the JPB Foundation.

Meanwhile, Medical News Today recently learned how scientists at Johns Hopkins University found a molecule that links high blood sugar to metabolic disease. Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team says the discovery could lead to new ways to prevent and treat diabetes.

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Study finds increased risk of type 2 diabetes with statin use

A new study published in the journal Diabetologia finds the use of statins - drugs commonly used to lower cholesterol - may significantly increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, and that this risk remains even after accounting for confounding factors, including age, smoking status and body mass index.

The researchers found statin therapy was associated with a 46% increased risk of type 2 diabetes, even after adjustment for confounding factors.

The link between statin use and higher risk of diabetes is not new. Back in 2013, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study published in The BMJ that found certain statins - particularly atorvastatin (Lipitor),rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor) - raised the risk of diabetes by up to 22%.

But according to the researchers of this latest study - including Prof. Markku Laakso of the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital in Finland - such studies have had numerous limitations.

The team explains that many of these studies have included selective populations, such as those at high risk of cardiovascular disease. As a result, findings may not be applicable to the general population.

The researchers also note that these studies have often included participants whose diabetes has been self-reported or based on their fasting glucose measurements, which may underestimate the actual number of incident diabetes cases.

Increased risk 'most likely linked to statins that reduce insulin sensitivity and secretion'

For their study, Prof. Laakso and colleagues analyzed the effects of statin use on 8,749 nondiabetic Caucasian men aged 45-73 years who were part of the Finland-based Metabolic Syndrome in Men (METSIM) study.

During the 5.9-year follow-up, 625 men were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, as determined by either an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), an HbA1c level of at least 6.5%, or the commencement of antidiabetic medication.

The results of the analysis revealed that men who were treated with statins were at 46% higher risk of diabetes than men who were not treated with statins.

This 46% increased diabetes risk was present even after adjusting for the men's age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, physical activity levels, smoking status, alcohol intake, family history of diabetes and treatment with beta-blockers and diuretic medications.

The researchers also assessed changes in insulin resistance and insulin secretion among men who were treated with statins. They found that statins led to a 24% reduction in insulin sensitivity during follow-up, as well as a 12% reduction in insulin secretion.

For two statins - simvastatin and atorvastatin - the researchers found the associated risk of type 2 diabetes was dose-dependent, as were the reductions in insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion among the men taking these statins.

After accounting for the aforementioned confounding factors, the team found high-dose simvastatin was linked to a 44% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, while a lower dose was linked to a 28% increased risk. High-dose atorvastatin was associated with a 37% increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Of the study participants, 53% were taking atorvastatin and 29% were taking simvastatin.

Based on their results, the researchers say:

"Statin therapy was associated with a 46% increased risk of type 2 diabetes after adjustment for confounding factors, suggesting a higher risk of diabetes in the general population than previously reported.

The association of statin use with increased risk of developing diabetes is most likely directly related to statins decreasing both insulin sensitivity and secretion."

Prof. Laakso and colleagues say that while one strength of this study is its large size, the fact that all participants were male and Caucasian means the findings may not be generalizable to women or those of other ethnicities.

In February, Medical News Today reported on a study claiming - contrary to previous findings - statins may not protect against Parkinson's disease.

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Alcohol: does it really offer health benefits?

Many of us like the odd drink or two, particularly after a hard day at work. In fact, some studies have suggested moderate alcohol consumption is good for our health. On the other hand, some studies claim this may not be the case. Such conflicting findings beg the question: should we succumb to the occasional glass of wine?

More than 70% of Americans aged 18 and older report having drank in the past year and 56% have consumed alcohol in the past month.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), moderate drinking is defined as consuming up to one alcohol drink a day for women and up to two alcohol drinks a day for men.

The definition of a "standard" alcoholic drink depends on the alcohol content of the beverage. In the US, the NIAAA consider one alcoholic drink to be 5 oz of wine, 12 oz of beer or 1.5 oz of spirits.

Most of us have had a taste of at least one alcoholic drink at some point in our lives. According to the NIAAA, more than 70% of Americans aged 18 and older report having drank in the past year and 56% have consumed alcohol in the past month.

It is well established that drinking too much alcohol - either at once or over a long period of time - is detrimental to health. It can cause heart problems, liver disease and even cancer. In fact, 88,000 deaths in the US each year are alcohol-related, making it the third leading preventable cause of death in the country.

But many studies suggest that, if consumed moderately, alcohol may actually be beneficial for health, protecting against some of the problems drinking too much of it can cause.

Reduced risk of heart problems

In January, Medical News Today reported on a study published in the European Heart Journal, in which researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, found consuming up to seven alcoholic drinks a week could protect against heart failure.

In this study, the researchers defined one alcoholic beverage as 14 g of alcohol - equivalent to a 125 ml glass of wine or just under one shot of liquor.

From an analysis of almost 15,000 participants, the team found that - compared with participants who consumed no alcohol - men who drank up to seven alcoholic drinks a week had a 20% reduced risk of heart failure, while women who consumed up to seven drinks weekly were at 16% lower risk of heart failure.

And this is not the only study to associate moderate alcohol consumption with improved heart health. According to the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA, more than 100 prospective studies have suggested moderate alcohol use may protect against stroke, heart attack, heart disease, sudden cardiovascular death and other cardiovascular conditions, as well as improve overall mortality.

But what are the mechanisms underlying the link between moderate alcohol use and good heart health?

According to Prakash Deedwania, chief of the cardiology division at the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine, drinking a glass of wine - and possibly other alcoholic beverages - can benefit the heart by increasing our levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol.

"The grape skin provides flavonoids and other antioxidant substances that protect the heart and vessels from the damaging effects of free oxygen radicals produced by our body," she explains.

"The strongest evidence is in favor of wine, but some evidence recently showed beer and other types of alcohol may provide the same benefits related to increasing good cholesterol."

The Harvard School of Public Health note that moderate alcohol consumption may also prevent the formation small blood clots that block arteries in the heart, neck and brain - a common cause of heart attack and stroke.

Lower risk of diabetes

Numerous studies have associated heavy or binge drinking with increased risk of diabetes. But others have found that a moderate intake could reduce the likelihood of developing the condition.

One study associated moderate alcohol consumption with a 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

In 2005, a study published in Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association, found participants who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol - around 6-48 g a day - were 30% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, compared with heavy drinkers and nondrinkers.

These findings were supported by a 2010 study published in the American Journal of Nutrition. Researchers from the Netherlands found that, not only does moderate alcohol consumption lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, the association is independent of other factors that may contribute to reduced diabetes risk.

But what is behind this association? Researchers have linked moderate alcohol consumption with increased insulin sensitivity, which may lower diabetes risk. The researchers from the Netherlands, for example, point to studies indicating that moderate alcohol use increases circulating concentrations of adiponectin - a protein involved in regulating glucose levels.

The aforementioned suggestion that moderate alcohol consumption can increase levels of HDL cholesterol may also explain its association with reduced diabetes risk.

Improved memory

While many of you may be testament to the fact that a few too many drinks can play havoc with memory, some studies have associated light or moderate alcohol consumption with improved memory.

In June 2014, a study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that moderate alcohol consumption improved participants' memory and thinking skills, particularly for women and those aged 70 and older.

And in October 2014, MNT reported on a study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias finding that older individuals who engaged in light or moderate drinking had higher episodic memory - the ability to remember events. They also had a larger volume in the hippocampus - a brain region that plays an important role in memory.

These findings, the researchers say, support animal studies indicating that moderate alcohol consumption plays a role in protecting hippocampal volume through boosting the growth of new nerve cells in that region of the brain.

Data 'not sufficient to recommend drinking to anyone'

While an array of studies have hailed moderate alcohol use for its health benefits, Dr. Geoff Kane, chair of the Medical-Scientific Committee at the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), told MNT he believes there is not enough evidence to suggest that nondrinkers should up their alcohol intake:

"The main way modest drinking is thought to benefit health is by increasing HDL; there are other means to do that, such as diet and exercise, that do not carry the dangers of drinking.

If someone does not have a drinking problem already and is not at high risk, and if they choose to drink, then they may take satisfaction in the possibility they derive health benefits. My opinion - and so far as I know that of other authorities - is that the data are not at all sufficient to recommend drinking to anyone."

Dr. Kane cautioned that individuals with alcohol addiction or a less severe alcohol use disorder should not be swayed to engage in alcohol use based on studies documenting its health benefits. "Any small benefits are extremely likely to be overpowered by the many adverse health risks of heavy drinking," he added.

What is more, in January, MNT reported on a study claiming the health benefits associated with moderate alcohol consumption may be "overestimated."

From a study of more than 18,000 adults, the team found that mortality benefits were only identified in men aged 50-64 who consumed 15-20 units of alcohol a week, and women aged 65 and over who drank up to 10 units of alcohol a week.

The researchers say their findings indicate that past studies demonstrating health benefits from moderate alcohol use "may, in part, be attributable to an inappropriate selection of a referent group and weak adjustment for confounders."

"The effect of such biases should therefore be borne in mind when evaluating findings from alcohol health studies - particularly when seeking to extrapolate results to the population level," they added.

Alcohol 'may not benefit everyone who drinks moderately'

From the studies mentioned in this Spotlight, one thing is clear: it is quite possible that alcohol poses potential health benefits if consumed in moderation. But don't go reaching for the wine just yet - it may not benefit all of us.

As the NIAAA state:

"Expanding our understanding of the relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and potential health benefits remains a challenge, and although there are positive effects, alcohol may not benefit everyone who drinks moderately."

April is Alcohol Awareness Month - an annual campaign launched in 1987 and sponsored by the NCADD that aims to increase public awareness of alcoholism and its related issues.

Visit the NCADD website to find out more about the campaign.

Continue to Read more ...

Alcohol: does it really offer health benefits?

Many of us like the odd drink or two, particularly after a hard day at work. In fact, some studies have suggested moderate alcohol consumption is good for our health. On the other hand, some studies claim this may not be the case. Such conflicting findings beg the question: should we succumb to the occasional glass of wine?

More than 70% of Americans aged 18 and older report having drank in the past year and 56% have consumed alcohol in the past month.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), moderate drinking is defined as consuming up to one alcohol drink a day for women and up to two alcohol drinks a day for men.

The definition of a "standard" alcoholic drink depends on the alcohol content of the beverage. In the US, the NIAAA consider one alcoholic drink to be 5 oz of wine, 12 oz of beer or 1.5 oz of spirits.

Most of us have had a taste of at least one alcoholic drink at some point in our lives. According to the NIAAA, more than 70% of Americans aged 18 and older report having drank in the past year and 56% have consumed alcohol in the past month.

It is well established that drinking too much alcohol - either at once or over a long period of time - is detrimental to health. It can cause heart problems, liver disease and even cancer. In fact, 88,000 deaths in the US each year are alcohol-related, making it the third leading preventable cause of death in the country.

But many studies suggest that, if consumed moderately, alcohol may actually be beneficial for health, protecting against some of the problems drinking too much of it can cause.

Reduced risk of heart problems

In January, Medical News Today reported on a study published in the European Heart Journal, in which researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, found consuming up to seven alcoholic drinks a week could protect against heart failure.

In this study, the researchers defined one alcoholic beverage as 14 g of alcohol - equivalent to a 125 ml glass of wine or just under one shot of liquor.

From an analysis of almost 15,000 participants, the team found that - compared with participants who consumed no alcohol - men who drank up to seven alcoholic drinks a week had a 20% reduced risk of heart failure, while women who consumed up to seven drinks weekly were at 16% lower risk of heart failure.

And this is not the only study to associate moderate alcohol consumption with improved heart health. According to the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA, more than 100 prospective studies have suggested moderate alcohol use may protect against stroke, heart attack, heart disease, sudden cardiovascular death and other cardiovascular conditions, as well as improve overall mortality.

But what are the mechanisms underlying the link between moderate alcohol use and good heart health?

According to Prakash Deedwania, chief of the cardiology division at the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine, drinking a glass of wine - and possibly other alcoholic beverages - can benefit the heart by increasing our levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol.

"The grape skin provides flavonoids and other antioxidant substances that protect the heart and vessels from the damaging effects of free oxygen radicals produced by our body," she explains.

"The strongest evidence is in favor of wine, but some evidence recently showed beer and other types of alcohol may provide the same benefits related to increasing good cholesterol."

The Harvard School of Public Health note that moderate alcohol consumption may also prevent the formation small blood clots that block arteries in the heart, neck and brain - a common cause of heart attack and stroke.

Lower risk of diabetes

Numerous studies have associated heavy or binge drinking with increased risk of diabetes. But others have found that a moderate intake could reduce the likelihood of developing the condition.

One study associated moderate alcohol consumption with a 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

In 2005, a study published in Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association, found participants who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol - around 6-48 g a day - were 30% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, compared with heavy drinkers and nondrinkers.

These findings were supported by a 2010 study published in the American Journal of Nutrition. Researchers from the Netherlands found that, not only does moderate alcohol consumption lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, the association is independent of other factors that may contribute to reduced diabetes risk.

But what is behind this association? Researchers have linked moderate alcohol consumption with increased insulin sensitivity, which may lower diabetes risk. The researchers from the Netherlands, for example, point to studies indicating that moderate alcohol use increases circulating concentrations of adiponectin - a protein involved in regulating glucose levels.

The aforementioned suggestion that moderate alcohol consumption can increase levels of HDL cholesterol may also explain its association with reduced diabetes risk.

Improved memory

While many of you may be testament to the fact that a few too many drinks can play havoc with memory, some studies have associated light or moderate alcohol consumption with improved memory.

In June 2014, a study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that moderate alcohol consumption improved participants' memory and thinking skills, particularly for women and those aged 70 and older.

And in October 2014, MNT reported on a study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias finding that older individuals who engaged in light or moderate drinking had higher episodic memory - the ability to remember events. They also had a larger volume in the hippocampus - a brain region that plays an important role in memory.

These findings, the researchers say, support animal studies indicating that moderate alcohol consumption plays a role in protecting hippocampal volume through boosting the growth of new nerve cells in that region of the brain.

Data 'not sufficient to recommend drinking to anyone'

While an array of studies have hailed moderate alcohol use for its health benefits, Dr. Geoff Kane, chair of the Medical-Scientific Committee at the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), told MNT he believes there is not enough evidence to suggest that nondrinkers should up their alcohol intake:

"The main way modest drinking is thought to benefit health is by increasing HDL; there are other means to do that, such as diet and exercise, that do not carry the dangers of drinking.

If someone does not have a drinking problem already and is not at high risk, and if they choose to drink, then they may take satisfaction in the possibility they derive health benefits. My opinion - and so far as I know that of other authorities - is that the data are not at all sufficient to recommend drinking to anyone."

Dr. Kane cautioned that individuals with alcohol addiction or a less severe alcohol use disorder should not be swayed to engage in alcohol use based on studies documenting its health benefits. "Any small benefits are extremely likely to be overpowered by the many adverse health risks of heavy drinking," he added.

What is more, in January, MNT reported on a study claiming the health benefits associated with moderate alcohol consumption may be "overestimated."

From a study of more than 18,000 adults, the team found that mortality benefits were only identified in men aged 50-64 who consumed 15-20 units of alcohol a week, and women aged 65 and over who drank up to 10 units of alcohol a week.

The researchers say their findings indicate that past studies demonstrating health benefits from moderate alcohol use "may, in part, be attributable to an inappropriate selection of a referent group and weak adjustment for confounders."

"The effect of such biases should therefore be borne in mind when evaluating findings from alcohol health studies - particularly when seeking to extrapolate results to the population level," they added.

Alcohol 'may not benefit everyone who drinks moderately'

From the studies mentioned in this Spotlight, one thing is clear: it is quite possible that alcohol poses potential health benefits if consumed in moderation. But don't go reaching for the wine just yet - it may not benefit all of us.

As the NIAAA state:

"Expanding our understanding of the relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and potential health benefits remains a challenge, and although there are positive effects, alcohol may not benefit everyone who drinks moderately."

April is Alcohol Awareness Month - an annual campaign launched in 1987 and sponsored by the NCADD that aims to increase public awareness of alcoholism and its related issues.

Visit the NCADD website to find out more about the campaign. Our Knowledge Center article - "What is alcoholism?" - provides further information on the complications of alcohol abuse.

Continue to Read more ...