Let's drink to good cholesterol!

Moderate alcohol consumption can have a positive effect on the level of "good" cholesterol

Anna Stavina, XX2 century, based on the materials of the American Heart Association: Moderate alcohol intake may slow good cholesterol's decline

A new study has contributed to support the theory that moderate alcohol consumption may be good for the heart. According to this work, one or two servings of alcoholic beverages consumed daily can slow down the decrease in the level of "good" cholesterol - high–density lipoproteins.

A group of scientists from The Pennsylvania State University and Kailuan Hospital in China recently presented the results of their work at a scientific session of the American Heart Association held in New Orleans.

There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

Commonly described as "bad" cholesterol, LDL contributes to the formation of dense plaques in the arteries. Atherosclerosis develops, which, in turn, can cause heart attacks and strokes.

HDL helps extract LDL from the arteries, returning them to the liver, where "bad" cholesterol is broken down and then excreted from the body. This process reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, which is why HDL has earned the name of "good" cholesterol.

According to the recommendations of the Mayo Clinic, the optimal level of HDL in the blood for both men and women is 1.6 millimoles per liter or higher. The transition of this indicator over the mark of 1.3 millimoles per liter in women and 1 millimole per liter in men can provoke an increase in LDL levels and increase the risk of the already mentioned complications.

There is evidence indicating that lifestyle changes, such as switching to a healthy diet, increasing physical activity and quitting smoking, can increase HDL levels. And, according to the results of a new study, it is possible to achieve this effect with the help of alcohol.

The slowest decrease in HDL levels is in moderate drinkers

Co-author of the study Shue Huang (Shue Huang) from the University of Pennsylvania and a group of researchers under her leadership analyzed data obtained from 80081 adults in China. The average age of the study participant was 49 years.

The intensity of alcohol consumption by the study participants was determined based on information collected in 2006. This date was taken as the starting point of the study. All participants were divided into five groups: those who do not drink alcohol in principle, who have drunk in the past, who drink little, moderately or a lot.

The "moderate drinkers" included women who consumed from 0.5 to 1 serving of alcohol per day and men who drank 1-2 servings. The researchers also paid attention to which alcoholic beverages the participants consumed.

HDL levels in the study participants were measured at the start of work – in 2006, as well as in 2008, 2010 and 2012.

During the study, the participants did not suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system and oncological diseases, and also did not take medications that reduce LDL levels.

The level of HDL decreased over time in all those who took part in the study. However, in those who consumed alcohol moderately, the decline was slower compared to those who did not drink at all or drank a lot (in this study, the latter type included women who consumed more than one serving of alcohol per day, and men who drank more than two).

In moderate drinkers, the level of HDL decreased annually by 0.017 millimoles per liter. Drinkers in large numbers showed a similar result – with a difference of only 0.0008 millimoles per liter per year.

Beer and strong liqueurs are associated with a slowdown in the fall in the level of HDL

In the course of further work, it was found that the rate of decrease in HDL indicators depends on which alcoholic drink is consumed most often.

The researchers found that moderate beer consumption slowed down the drop in HDL levels to the greatest extent, and among people who preferred strong liqueurs, this effect was noted only in those who drank little or moderately.

The authors noted that not enough people who regularly consumed wine were included in the study to be able to conclude about the effect of this drink on reducing the level of "good" cholesterol.

The scientists also stressed that further studies are needed to assess the effect of alcohol on HDL levels in other populations and to determine how a delayed decrease in HDL levels affects health.

At the end of the work , the authors noted: "Alcohol consumption is associated with a slowdown in the decline in HDL levels, and moderate alcohol consumption turned out to be the most effective in this regard. The results of the study also suggest that different types of alcoholic beverages have different effects on this indicator."

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru  16.11.2016