Alcohol consumption is associated with high concentrations of urinary hydroxytyrosol.
BACKGROUND
Previously, we reported the presence of hydroxytyrosol in red wine and higher human urinary recovery of total hydroxytyrosol than that expected after a single red wine intake. We hypothesized that the alcohol present in wine could promote endogenous hydroxytyrosol generation.


OBJECTIVE
The objective was to assess the relation between alcohol consumption and urinary hydroxytyrosol concentrations.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study with baseline data from a subsample of the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial, an intervention study directed at testing the efficacy of the Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Participants included 1045 subjects, aged 55-80 y, who were at high cardiovascular risk. Alcohol consumption was estimated through a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Urinary hydroxytyrosol and ethyl glucuronide, a biomarker of alcohol consumption, were measured.


RESULTS
Urinary ethyl glucuronide concentrations were directly related to alcohol and wine consumption (P < 0.001) as well as to urinary hydroxytyrosol in both sexes (P < 0.001). The degree of alcohol consumption was directly associated with urinary hydroxytyrosol in male alcohol consumers (P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed a significant linear trend (P < 0.05) for elevated hydroxytyrosol concentrations with an increase in alcohol consumption. Intakes of >20 g (2 drinks)/d and >10 g (1 drink)/d alcohol in men and women, respectively, were associated (P < 0.05) with elevated concentrations of hydroxytyrosol.


CONCLUSIONS
We report for the first time a direct association between urinary hydroxytyrosol and alcohol consumption at a population level. These findings reinforce previous work in human and animal models that examines wine as a source of hydroxytyrosol and alcohol as an indirect promoter of endogenous hydroxytyrosol generation. This trial was registered at controlled-trials.com/isrctn/ as ISRCTN 35739639.
Schröder
Helmut
H
CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
de la Torre
Rafael
R
Estruch
Ramón
R
Corella
Dolores
D
Martínez-González
Miguel Angel
MA
Salas-Salvadó
Jordi
J
Ros
Emilio
E
Arós
Fernando
F
Flores
Gemma
G
Civit
Ester
E
Farré
Magí
M
Fiol
Miguel
M
Vila
Joan
J
Fernandez-Crehuet
Joaquín
J
Ruiz-Gutiérrez
Valentina
V
Lapetra
Jose
J
Sáez
Guillermo
G
Covas
María-Isabel
MI
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000652:urine*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D002149:Energy Intake; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014920:Wine
D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; C005975:3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol