Consuming alcoholic beverages can be beneficial for cholesterol levels
While some studies suggested that light to moderate drinking of wine/alcoholic beverages may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, these benefits are increasingly overshadowed by claims of alcohol’s detrimental effects.
The purpose of the current study by Harvard and Japanese researchers was to examine whether changes in the consumption of alcoholic beverages, both initiation and cessation, are associated with changes in the cholesterol levels (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL).
The findings of this study showed that the 57 691 individuals undergoing their annual health checkups at a centre for preventive medicine in Japan, quitting alcohol consumption was associated with significantly increased LDL cholesterol and decreased HDL levels compared with continuing intake of alcoholic beverages. In contrast, when the individuals switched from being non-drinkers to drinkers during the study, a drop in their “bad” cholesterol (LDL) was observed and their “good” cholesterol increased. HDL levels went up so considerably, even beating improvements typically seen with medications, the researchers noted. These changes were more pronounced with higher amounts of alcohol consumption in a dose-dependent manner.
For example: In those individuals who went from drinking zero drinks to 1.5 drinks per day or less, their “bad” LDL cholesterol decreased 0.85 mg/dl, and their “good” HDL cholesterol increased 0.58 mg/dL compared to non-drinkers who never started drinking. For those who went from zero to 1.5 to 3 drinks per day, their “bad” LDL dropped 4.4 mg/dl, and their “good” HDL rose 2.49 mg/dL.
Although the mechanisms by which alcohol affected cholesterol levels remain unclear, similar associations with blood lipid profiles across various alcoholic beverages suggest that alcohol is the primary causative substance.
According to the authors, these results suggest that monitoring lipid profiles after changing the alcohol drinking habits is essential for optimizing cholesterol management. They concluded that in this study of Japanese health checkup participants, both the initiation and cessation of alcohol consumption were associated with changes in LDL and HDL cholesterol levels in a dose-dependent manner. While light consumption of alcoholic beverages may have favourable effects on lipid profiles, decisions regarding alcohol intake should be individualised, considering the overall health risks. Public health recommendations should continue to emphasize moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages but cholesterol levels should be carefully monitored after alcohol cessation to mitigate potential CVD risks.
