Alcohol consumption raises HDL cholesterol levels by increasing the transport rate of apolipoproteins A-I and A-II.
BACKGROUND
Moderate alcohol intake is associated with lower atherosclerosis risk, presumably due to increased HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations; however, the metabolic mechanisms of this increase are poorly understood.


RESULTS
We tested the hypothesis that ethanol increases HDL-C by raising transport rates (TRs) of the major HDL apolipoproteins apoA-I and -II. We measured the turnover of these apolipoproteins in vivo in paired studies with and without alcohol consumption in 14 subjects. The fractional catabolic rate (FCR) and TR of radiolabeled apoA-I and -II were determined in the last 2 weeks of a 4-week Western-type metabolic diet, without (control) or with alcohol in isocaloric exchange for carbohydrates. Alcohol was given as vodka in fixed amounts ranging from 0.20 to 0.81 g. kg(-1). d(-1) (mean+/-SD 0.45+/-0.19) to reflect the usual daily intake of each subject. HDL-C concentrations increased 18% with alcohol compared with the control (Wilcoxon matched-pairs test, P=0.002). The apoA-I concentrations increased by 10% (P=0.048) and apoA-II concentrations increased by 17% (P=0.005) due to higher apoA-I and -II TRs, respectively, whereas the FCR of both apoA-I and -II did not change. The amount of alcohol consumed correlated with the degree of increase in HDL-C (Pearson's r=0.66, P=0.01) and apoA-I TR (r=0.57, P=0.03). The increase in HDL-C also correlated with the increase in apoA-I TR (r=0.61, P=0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol intake increases HDL-C in a dose-dependent fashion, associated with and possibly caused by an increase in the TR of HDL apolipoproteins apoA-I and -II.
De Oliveira E Silva
E R
ER
Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
Foster
D
D
McGee Harper
M
M
Seidman
C E
CE
Smith
J D
JD
Breslow
J L
JL
Brinton
E A
EA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016633:Apolipoprotein A-II / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001692:Biological Transport; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D016633:Apolipoprotein A-II; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL