The longitudinal association between alcohol consumption and muscle strength: A population-based prospective study

OBJECTIVES: Studies have investigated the association between alcohol consumption and muscle mass and muscle disease. However, the relationship between alcohol consumption and muscle strength remains unclear. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the association between alcohol consumption and changes in muscle strength. METHODS: This study evaluated 326 Japanese men and women over a 2-year period, assessing alcohol consumption using a brief, self-administered diet-history questionnaire. Muscle strength was assessed using a digital grip dynamometer. RESULTS: In a non-adjusted model, alcohol consumption was positively correlated with a decline in muscle strength (p for trend = 0.002). After adjusting model 1 for age, sex, and body mass index, adjusting model 2 for health status and fully adjusting model 3, there was a significant positive association between alcohol consumption and a decline in muscle strength, and this association showed no change over the 2-year period (p for trend = 0.006). CONCLUSION: In this Japanese population, high alcohol consumption was associated with a greater decline in muscle strength. Future studies are needed to ascertain whether this relationship is present in other populations.