Moderate alcohol consumption and postprandial plasma lipids in men with different risks for coronary heart disease.
BACKGROUND
Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. Epidemiologic studies have provided conflicting data which suggests that CHD protection may be modulated or may not be modulated by a person's CHD risk profile.


METHODS
We examined the effects of moderate alcohol consumption (35 g/day) on postprandial lipoprotein metabolism in two groups of healthy middle-aged men who had different plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride concentrations, and body mass index (BMI), which are three major risk factors for CHD; 11 men had lower plasma lipids and BMI (L-men) and 11 men had higher plasma lipids and BMI (H-men). The effects of alcohol on postprandial lipoprotein metabolism were studied in a crossover design after an acute moderate alcohol intake both after a period of abstinence (alcohol-free beer) and after a period of moderate alcohol consumption (alcohol containing beer).


RESULTS
Moderate alcohol consumption changed plasma total cholesterol, total triglycerides, and HDL composition in the postprandial period. Alcohol-induced changes were essentially the same over time in both L-men and H-men. However, changes occurred at a different overall plasma concentration for total cholesterol and total triglycerides. Also, the postprandial response to an acute moderate alcohol dose after a period of abstinence seemed not to essentially differ from the response to an acute moderate alcohol dose after a 4-week period of moderate alcohol consumption.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that men who differ in risk for CHD, based on plasma lipids and BMI, but without previous or underlying disease, have a similar postprandial lipid response to a moderate dose of alcohol.
Hendriks
H F
HF
Department of Physiology, TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist, The Netherlands. hendriks@voeding.tno.nl
van Haaren
M R
MR
Leenen
R
R
Schaafsma
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013695:Temperance; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D000431:Ethanol; D002784:Cholesterol