The effect of moderate alcohol consumption on fat distribution and adipocytokines.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on fat distribution, adipose tissue secreted proteins (adiponectin and resistin), and insulin sensitivity in healthy middle-aged men with abdominal obesity.


METHODS
Thirty-four healthy men between 35 and 70 years old, with increased waist circumference (> or = 94 cm), participated in a randomized, controlled cross-over design trial. They drank 450 mL of red wine (40 grams of alcohol) or 450 mL of de-alcoholized red wine daily during 4 weeks. At the end of each treatment period, fat distribution, adipose tissue proteins, and insulin sensitivity index (ISI) were measured.


RESULTS
Subcutaneous and abdominal fat contents and body weight did not change after 4 weeks of moderate alcohol consumption. Liver fat (quip index) was slightly higher after consumption of red wine (6.8 +/- 0.1) as compared with de-alcoholized red wine (6.5 +/- 0.1) but not significantly different (p = 0.09). Plasma adiponectin concentration increased (p < 0.01) to 6.0 +/- 0.1 microg/mL after 28 days of moderate alcohol consumption compared with de-alcoholized red wine (5.5 +/- 0.1 microg/mL). Serum resistin concentrations and ISI were not affected by alcohol consumption. Percentage changes in serum resistin correlated significantly with changes in ISI (r = -0.69, p < 0.01), whereas this correlation was not present between changes in plasma adiponectin and ISI (r = 0.31, p = 0.22).


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate alcohol consumption for 4 weeks is not associated with differences in subcutaneous and abdominal fat contents or body weight. Thus, the 10% increase in adiponectin was not associated with a change in fat distribution or body weight change.
Beulens
Joline W J
JW
TNO Quality of Life, P.O. Box 360, 3700 AJ Zeist, The Netherlands.
van Beers
Roderik M
RM
Stolk
Ronald P
RP
Schaafsma
Gertjan
G
Hendriks
Henk F J
HF
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism; D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism*; D001823:Body Composition; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D050507:Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal / Q000378:metabolism
D052242:Adiponectin; D007328:Insulin; D052243:Resistin