title: Effects of alcohol consumption on antioxidant content and susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein to oxidative modification.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effects of moderate alcohol intake on antioxidant content of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and the susceptibility of LDL to oxidative modification were examined in 12 healthy adult males.
  
  
  METHODS
  Volunteers abstained from alcohol for 3 weeks and then 12 subjects (alcohol intake group) consumed alcohol (0.5 g/kg/day) as brandy for 4 weeks; 4 subjects (control abstinence group) did not consume any alcohol for the entire study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the alcohol intake group, plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), phospholipids (PL), free cholesterol (FC) and apoprotein B (apoB) levels in LDL decreased significantly after alcohol intake; however, since TC/apoB, TG/apoB, PL/apoB and FC/apoB ratios did not change significantly, it is clear that LDL particle numbers decreased. Vitamin E and vitamin A levels in plasma, and vitamin E content of LDL also did not change significantly. Beta-carotene levels in plasma and in LDL decreased significantly in the alcohol intake group. In the abstinence group, lipid levels and vitamin levels did not change. Lag time before the onset of LDL oxidation and propagation rate of LDL oxidation in the alcohol intake group did not change significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moderate alcohol intake decreases particle numbers of LDL without any changes in chemical composition, vitamin E content and susceptibility of LDL to oxidative modification. However, beta-carotene content was decreased significantly by even moderate alcohol intake.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzukawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hosoai
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hashizume
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D010743:Phospholipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D002784:Cholesterol