title: Moderate alcohol consumption lowers risk factors for cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women fed a controlled diet.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Moderate alcohol consumption (1-2 drinks/d) may decrease cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women by improving lipid profiles.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We measured the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on lipids and lipoproteins in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postmenopausal women (n = 51) consumed 0 (control), 15 (1 drink), and 30 (2 drinks) g alcohol (ethanol)/d for 8 wk each as part of a controlled diet in a randomized crossover design. The control diet provided approximately 15%, 53%, and 32% of energy from protein, carbohydrate, and fat, respectively. The energy provided from alcohol in the 15- and 30-g alcohol diets was replaced with energy from carbohydrate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with concentrations after the control diet, plasma LDL cholesterol decreased from 3.45 to 3.34 mmol/L (P = 0.04) and triacylglycerol from 1.43 to 1.34 mmol/L (P = 0.05) after 15 g alcohol/d. There were no additional significant decreases in either lipid after an increase in alcohol intake from 15 to 30 g/d. Compared with concentrations after the control diet, plasma HDL cholesterol increased nonsignificantly from 1.40 to 1.43 mmol/L after 15 g alcohol/d but increased to 1.48 mmol/L after 30 g alcohol/d (P = 0.02). Apolipoprotein A-I increased significantly and apolipoprotein B decreased significantly after 30 g alcohol/d relative to the concentration after the control diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consumption of 15-30 g alcohol/d by postmenopausal women apparently decreases cardiovascular disease risk by improving lipid profiles. Plasma LDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations improve after 15 g alcohol/d; plasma HDL cholesterol improves only after 30 g alcohol/d.
authors.affiliation: US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. baer@bhnrc.arsusda.gov
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Baer
authors.forename: Joseph T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Judd
authors.forename: Beverly A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Clevidence
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Muesing
authors.forename: William S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Ellen D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004032:Diet; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D000431:Ethanol