The Normalization of Regular Alcohol Consumption: How much is too much?

  Alcohol consumption in the United States has become something as normalized as grabbing a sweet treat after dinner. A glass or two of wine with a meal every night, a monthly golf trip with stops at the beverage cart at each hole, a weekly outing at a local Mexican restaurant for a five dollar pitcher of margaritas, etc. It seems Americans have somehow managed to find a way to intertwine alcohol into activities that are presumably quite enjoyable without the need for substances at every corner. At some point, it may be necessary to question when regular alcohol consumption becomes an issue–and that point may just be now. 

Dr. Jessica Hoffman of Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine spoke about the dangers of regular alcohol consumption and its impacts on brain function at her talk titled “Alcohol, Plasticity, and Brain Vulnerability”. She informed the audience that nearly ten percent of Americans are diagnosed with alcohol use disorders–and those are just the people who were conscious enough to recognize that they had a problem. With the increase in the frequency of drinking culture in the United States, it is no question that there are likely millions of people who drink more than they should be drinking, and often enough where the damage done to their brain–as well as other parts of their body–will eventually become detrimental. 

While conducting her research, Dr. Hoffman assessed the effects of two drugs– aniracetam and JNJ-55511118– on the self-administration behaviors of mice in her lab. JNJ-55511118 was chosen specifically as “a potential method for medicinally managing chronic repetitive drinking associated with AUD”. She found that mice who were given aniracetam showed an increase in self-administration behaviors, whilst mice who were given JNJ-5551118 showed a decrease in the self-administration behaviors–a hopeful result that could have significant impacts on those who suffer from regulating their chronic alcohol usage behaviors. 

Harvard Health, of Harvard Medical School, posits twelve ways that people struggling with weaning off alcohol can “curb their drinking”. Some of their methods include making a list of the benefits that can stem from laying off the alcohol, keeping the living quarters free of alcoholic beverages, and considering non-alcoholic substitutes. The practicality of these methods is something that makes the idea of becoming less reliant on alcohol a more tangible, realistic goal. They also place an emphasis on asking for help when you feel that the drinking habits are becoming more problematic, avoid situations where you might be influenced by peer pressure, and don’t let a few setbacks or give-ins to temptation completely offset your goal to slow down the drinking. The process of rehabilitation is almost never linear, and it comes with many hardships, an abundance of patience, and stamina, but–coupled with JNJ-55511118–the methods suggested by Harvard Health have the potential to aid individuals with AUDs in their struggle to overcome their addictions.

References:

Hoffman, J. L.; Faccidomo, S.; Saunders, B. L.; Taylor, S. M.; Kim, M.; Hodge, C. W. Inhibition of AMPA Receptors (AMPARs) Containing Transmembrane AMPAR Regulatory Protein Γ‐8 with JNJ‐55511118 Shows Preclinical Efficacy in Reducing Chronic Repetitive Alcohol Self‐administration. Alcoholism Clin & Exp Res 2021, 45 (7), 1424–1435. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14639

12 ways to curb your drinking. 2025 https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/12-ways-to-curb-your-drinking