Moderate alcohol consumption reduces plasma C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels; a randomized, diet-controlled intervention study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on the acute phase proteins C-reactive protein and fibrinogen.


METHODS
Randomized, diet-controlled, cross-over study.


METHODS
The study was performed at TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist, The Netherlands.


METHODS
Ten middle-aged men and 10 postmenopausal women, all apparently healthy, non-smoking and moderate alcohol drinkers, were included. One women dropped out because of a treatment-unrelated cause. The remaining 19 subjects finished the experiment successfully.


METHODS
Men consumed four glasses and women consumed three glasses of beer or no-alcohol beer (control) with evening dinner during two successive periods of 3 weeks. The total diet was supplied to the subjects and had essentially the same composition during these 6 weeks. Before each treatment there was a 1 week washout period to compensate for possible carry-over effects.


RESULTS
Plasma C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels were decreased by 35% (P=0.02) and 12.4% (P< or =0.001), respectively, after 3 weeks' consumption of beer, as compared to no-alcohol beer consumption.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate alcohol consumption significantly decreased plasma C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels. An anti-inflammatory action of alcohol may help explain the link between moderate alcohol consumption and lower cardiovascular disease risk.


BACKGROUND
Dutch Foundation for Alcohol Research (SAR).
Sierksma
A
A
TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist, The Netherlands.
van der Gaag
M S
MS
Kluft
C
C
Hendriks
H F J
HF
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D001515:Beer; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein