Yes – you heard that right – exercise has been proven to help people reduce or eliminate alcohol intake and reduce alcohol dependence. Multiple studies have shown that exercise is an effective adjunctive treatment for the treatment of alcoholism
For example, a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials using exercise interventions to treat alcoholism found that exercise significantly reduces alcohol consumption! This included all forms of exercise, such as aerobic and resistance training.
The effects of Fibroplast growth factor 21 (FGF21) on alcohol intake
FGF21 is a hormone released by the liver and muscles during exercise.
When FGF21 was given to mice and vervet monkeys addicted to alcohol, it reduced their alcohol intake by 50%. FGF21 crosses the blood-brain barrier and binds to receptors in the hypothalamus, where it alters dopamine signaling, which plays a prominent role in alcohol craving.
The liver releases FGF21 after alcohol ingestion, with a significant increase in blood levels.
Research has shown that FGF21 is increased after aerobic exercise, peaking 60 minutes later then returning to baseline 2 hours later.
A mouse study showed that:
Mice that couldn’t release FGF21 consumed more alcohol
Mice given an FGF21 analogue reduced their alcohol consumption by 50%
Another study used Vervent Monkeys. Vervent Monkeys fall into three sub-types as it relates to alcohol in a distribution common to humans:
Alcohol avoiders who do NOT like alcohol
Moderate alcohol drinkers
Heavy drinkers who consume alcohol until they are drunk
Monkeys given FGF21 reduced alcohol consumption
Collectively, these studies suggest that FGF21 is involved in telling our brains whether we should drink more alcohol or not, and that this happens in at least two species studied, and that increasing FGF21 may also reduce alcohol consumption in humans.
Exercise also modulates the brain’s dopamine reward system and stimulates Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Low BDNF levels are correlated with the severity of alcoholism in clinical studies of alcoholics! Furthermore, regular alcohol consumption reduces BDNF and is associated with alcohol-induced cognitive defects.
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