Moderate alcohol consumption linked to slower disability progression

A recent study has found that people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who consume low to moderate amounts of alcohol tend to experience less disability progression in the years following their diagnosis compared to those who do not drink. This effect was particularly noticeable among women.

However, the researchers were careful to highlight that alcohol is known to have negative health effects and should not be used as a strategy to prevent disease progression.

Alcohol’s impact on human health is complex, and its influence on multiple sclerosis (MS) progression has been difficult to pinpoint. While some studies have linked alcohol consumption with greater disability in people with MS, others have suggested the opposite.

To delve deeper into this topic, researchers examined data from two extensive MS studies conducted in Sweden, which included 9,051 participants. Around the time of their diagnosis, these individuals provided details about their alcohol consumption.

Approximately half of the participants reported low to moderate alcohol intake, defined as up to 108 grams of alcohol per week for women (equivalent to about eight standard drinks) and up to 168 grams per week for men (about 12 standard drinks). A standard drink typically contains about 14 grams of alcohol, roughly the amount in a glass of wine, a tall beer, or a shot of spirits.

In the study, 44% of participants abstained from alcohol entirely, while 6% were identified as heavy drinkers. The researchers used statistical models to compare disability outcomes across these three groups, considering factors such as age, smoking habits, duration of disease, treatment, and physical activity.

The findings revealed that those who consumed low to moderate amounts of alcohol were 11% to 16% less likely to experience disability progression, as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), compared to non-drinkers. These individuals were also less likely to reach moderate or significant disability levels, defined as scores of 3 or 4 on the EDSS scale, and were less likely to see a decline in their physical quality of life, as assessed by the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale 29 (MSIS-29).

Interestingly, there was no significant difference in disability progression between non-drinkers and heavy drinkers. However, the overall trend suggested that alcohol consumption might be linked to a slightly reduced risk of disability progression.

Further analysis indicated that this relationship between alcohol and reduced disability progression was significant only in patients with RRMS at the time of diagnosis. It was not observed in those initially diagnosed with primary progressive MS (PPMS).