A team of researchers from the University of East Anglia has shown that alcohol consumption can speed up age-related muscle loss and raise the chances of frailty. The findings were published in Calcified Tissue International, a journal that focuses on bone and muscle health.
The researchers drew on data from UK Biobank, a large, anonymized repository of health and lifestyle information for roughly half a million people in the United Kingdom. The analysis focused on nearly 200,000 individuals aged 37 to 73, with many participants in their 50s and 60s, offering a broad view of how drinking habits relate to muscle health over time.
After controlling for protein intake, physical activity, and other relevant factors, the team observed that higher alcohol intake correlated with lower skeletal muscle mass. The effect was most pronounced among participants who reported consuming about a bottle of wine each day, suggesting a meaningful link between alcohol quantity and muscle depletion as people age.
Loss of muscle mass with advancing age contributes to weakness, reduced functional capacity, and an elevated risk of falls and injuries. The researchers say their results provide another potential incentive to limit alcohol use, particularly for midlife adults aiming to maintain strength and independence. The study design also supports a causal interpretation, indicating that alcohol exposure may contribute directly to muscle loss rather than simply co-occurring with other risk factors.
These findings add to a growing body of evidence about the impact of alcohol on physical health in later years. While the study does not identify a single safe threshold applicable to everyone, it highlights a clear association that health professionals may consider when advising patients about healthy aging, nutrition, and activity. Further work is needed to understand how different drinking patterns, beverage types, and genetic factors might influence muscle maintenance across populations.