This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Less ethanol in alcohol may lead to fewer alcohol-related GI, liver disease burden

Researchers reviewing ways to reduce dangers of alcohol discovered lowering the amount of ethanol, while not reducing the amount of the beverage itself, to be most effective.

“The policy interventions implemented by the alcohol industry usually have negative or mixed evidence at best. … However, reduction of alcoholic strength might constitute a unique situation whereby the interests of public health (in reducing overall consumption of alcohol) and the alcohol industry (in achieving profit) coincide,” Jürgen Rehm, MD, of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada, and colleagues recently wrote in Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

The researchers cited randomized trials conducted with fraternity members where the amount of ethanol decreased by up to 2% in their drinks. This did not lead to an increase in how much they drank and lowered participants’ blood alcohol content.

“Overall, there is sufficient evidence that consumers have problems discriminating between beers of different strengths,” the researchers wrote. “If subjective effects and preferences are similar, it should be possible to introduce beers with lower alcohol content, with health and wellbeing arguments, and to change consumer choices in this direction. … [M]uch will depend on actual implementation, and only an independent assessment will be able to identify effects on harmful drinking,” researchers wrote.

Factors such as imposing taxes on drinks containing ethanol of more than 3%, periodically drinking an alcohol-free beer and introducing non-alcoholic beer to mostly abstaining countries were also explored. Researchers wrote these factors led to less harmful side effects but did not have the same impact as reducing the ethanol content.

Rehm and colleagues examined guidelines, books, reports and other reviews on the subject, published before May 3, 2016. They also discussed the topic with authors of many such publications before drawing their own conclusion. Researchers noted previous studies showed the “strength” of alcohol has remained reasonably consistent since 2000; however, they also observed a recent uptick in potency of wine. Though Rehm and his colleagues focused their efforts on beer, they felt the findings would hold up for wine or mixed drinks that contained anywhere from 0% to 15% alcohol.  – by Janel Miller

Disclosure: Rehm reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.