Moderate consumption: apoproteins A I and A II increase
For lipids and cholesterol to be distributed in the blood, special carrier proteins are needed. These so-called apoproteins react to the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Without those special carrier proteins, lipids, cholesterol, lipid-soluble vitamins and other fat-soluble substances in the blood would float on the surface like greasy drops on a soup and could not be distributed well. That’s why they are packaged into transportable particles (lipoproteins = lipid and protein) with the help of carrier proteins (apoproteins). The best-known lipid-protein particles are LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein), which transport cholesterol through the body. The concentration, size and composition are considered important risk markers for cardiovascular diseases. There is an apoprotein B on the surface of every LDL particle. The higher the apo B concentration, the greater the cardiovascular risk. There are several apoproteins on each HDL particle, especially apoprotein A I and A II. The higher their concentration, the lower the risk of heart attacks or strokes. The ratio of apo B to apo A I is also an established risk marker for cardiovascular diseases.
It has long been known that the consumption of alcoholic beverages increases HDL cholesterol, i.e. the cholesterol that is transported back to the liver in HDL particles, for example from arteriosclerotic deposits (plaques). The cardiovascular-protective effect of moderate consumption is attributed to this fact, among others. In addition to observational studies with their methodological limitations, there are also a number of experimental studies in which various interventions with alcoholic beverages were tested. However, the methods and results were not consistent, and the quantities used were sometimes very high. For this reason, the authors of the current study now systematically summarized the findings from more recent intervention studies that had investigated moderate consumption levels in adults.
A total of 25 studies published after 1990 were analyzed, in which the consumption of moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages (up to 40 g/day) was examined compared to very low consumption or abstinence. The results showed that up to this amount, apoproteins A I and A II increase. Apoprotein B showed a decreasing trend, but no significant changes were found. The effects were more pronounced in men than in women but followed a similar trend. These clinical measurements may reflect the favourable effects of moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages.
