Low Glycogen Linked to Drinking-Related Violence: Study

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People who always become aggressive or violent when they drink may have low glycogen levels, a problem that could be remedied with medication and regular meals, suggest Finnish researchers.

They analyzed the insulin and glycogen levels of 49 men with alcohol problems who committed violent acts when drinking and compared them to a control group of 40 healthy men, Agence France Presse reported.

During eight years of follow-up, 17 of the 49 men with alcohol problems committed at least one new act of violence while drinking. The study found that those men had higher insulin levels and lower glycogen levels than the other men with alcohol problems who didn't commit any additional acts of violence, or men in the control group.

The findings "might suggest that substances increasing glycogen formation and decreasing the risk of hypoglycemia might be potential treatments for impulsive violent behavior," wrote researchers at the University of Helsinki, and those at Helsinki University Hospital, AFP reported.

Regular eating habits while drinking alcohol may also prevent violence, the scientists added.