To Explore the Causal Link between Genetic Predisposition to Alcohol Consumption and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder, and the behavior and quantity of alcohol consumption may be influenced by genetic factors. Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas excessive drinking may increase the risk. Alcohol consumption might indirectly contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes through factors such as body mass index (BMI). This paper explores the complex relationship between alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes, investigating the causal association using Mendelian randomization (MR) methodology. Individual genetic background significantly impacts drinking habits, with certain genetic variants being linked to higher alcohol consumption tendencies, which also influence the risk of type 2 diabetes. The study employed MR methods, utilizing genetic variants as instrumental variables to assess the causal relationship between alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes. Data from the European population samples obtained from the IEU Open GWAS Project database were used, including summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) related to alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was applied to estimate the causal effect. The IVW results indicated no statistically significant association between alcohol consumption and increased risk of type 2 diabetes (OR = 1.0046, 95% CI: [0.8722, 1.1571], P = 0.9495), suggesting no significant causal relationship between genetically predicted alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes risk. These findings contribute to future research and development in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes.