Beneficial Effects Of Alcohol Research Articles

Associations of habitual alcohol drinking with HDL cholesterol and D-dimer in patients with peripheral arterial disease

BackgroundThe risk of cardiovascular disease is lower in light-to-moderate alcohol drinkers than in nondrinkers in the general population. However, it remains to be clarified whether these beneficial effects of alcohol are shown in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). MethodsThe subjects were 153 male outpatients with PAD and they were divided by frequency of drinking into nondrinkers, occasional drinkers (1–4 days/wk) and regular drinkers (5–7 days/wk). Relationships of alcohol drinking with variables related to progression of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk were investigated. ResultsThe levels of HDL cholesterol and d-dimer were significantly higher and lower, respectively, in regular drinkers than in nondrinkers, while there were no significant differences in BMI, blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, hemoglobin A1c, platelet count, fibrinogen, ankle brachial index and intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in non–, occasional and regular drinkers. Odds ratios of regular drinkers vs. nondrinkers for low HDL cholesterol (0.24 [0.08 ∼ 0.70]) and high d-dimer (0.29 [0.14 ∼ 0.61]) were significantly lower than the reference level. ConclusionsIn patients with PAD, habitual alcohol drinking was associated with increase of HDL cholesterol and suppression of blood coagulability. However, progression of atherosclerosis was not different in nondrinkers and drinkers.

If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly: a food-based dietary guideline for the elderly in South Africa

The use and misuse of alcohol has become a public health problem among the South African (SA) elderly population, among whom risky drinking is a common practice. Previous publications encouraging alcohol use have referred to two supposedly beneficial effects of alcohol, categorised as: (1) cardioprotective and haemostatic; and (2) promoting a positive balance in iron status. However, more recent evidence has weakened these assertions for all age groups as the disadvantages of alcohol use far outweigh these benefits. Some of these disadvantages can cause severe medical and physical harm to the elderly. Attempts to curb risky drinking among the SA elderly must be adopted through screening by clinicians during consultations, use of various screening and diagnostic tools available for addressing alcohol use and abuse, and exploiting the channels of alcohol exposure for appropriate interventions. Elderly populations are vulnerable to alcohol misuse irrespective of their consumption patterns or levels of use because of their ageing condition and the interaction of alcohol with medication. Therefore, there is a need to sensitise the SA elderly population on the risk posed by alcohol use, misuse or abuse, hence the FBDG ‘If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly’.

The Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Is There New Information?

The effects of alcohol on cardiovascular health are heterogeneous and vary according to consumption dose and pattern. These effects have classically been described as having a J-shaped curve, in which low-to-moderate consumption is associated with less risk than lifetime abstention, and heavy drinkers show the highest risk. Nonetheless, the beneficial effects of alcohol have been questioned due to the difficulties in establishing a safe drinking threshold. This review focuses on the association between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular risk factors and the underlying mechanisms of damage, with review of the literature from the last 10 years.

Alcohol consumption and risk of hematological malignancies: A meta-analysis of prospective studies.

Current convincing evidence suggests that alcohol intake increases the risk of several carcinomas, which might subsequently lead to a recommendation toward limiting alcohol consumption. However, there are accumulating data worth meta-analyzing that show a different effect on the risk of hematological malignancies. Eligible cohort studies were sought in PubMed database up to August 31, 2016. Separate analyses were performed by subtype of hematological malignancy (non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL] and subtypes, Hodgkin lymphoma [HL], leukemia and subtypes), time status (ever, current, former), level of consumption (light, moderate, heavy), alcoholic beverage (total alcohol, beer, liquor, wine) and gender. Moderate and heavy alcohol consumption were significantly associated with reduced risk of NHL (relative risk [RR] = 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80-0.90 and RR = 0.73, 95%CI: 0.60-0.89, respectively); a protective trend was also shown for light alcohol intake (RR = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.87-1.00). Specifically, beer consumption was associated with reduced NHL risk (RR = 0.88, 95%CI: 0.81-0.95). However, the association regarding other alcoholic beverages seemed null. The beneficial effects of alcohol mainly pertained to Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) (RR = 0.83, 95%CI: 0.77-0.89) and Follicular Lymphoma (FL) (RR = 0.85, 95%CI: 0.78-0.93). There was also no association between alcohol consumption and risk of HL or leukemias. In contrast to most solid malignancies, alcohol seems to confer a protective effect on NHL risk, especially on DLBCL and FL subtypes, with beer being notably beneficial.

Abstract WP177: Alcohol Consumption: Benefit versus Harm in Vascular Events and Overall Mortality

Background: Alcohol consumption is associated with negative consequences including liver disease, major trauma and various cancers. However, a paradoxical beneficial effect of alcohol has been documented for cardiovascular disease in a large meta-analysis. On the other hand, a similar relationship has not been consistently documented or modest for the risk of stroke due to its heterogeneity in subtypes and pathophysiology. In this context, more comprehensive approaches using a representative dataset and composite outcomes are required to clarify the differential effects of alcohol on cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD). Methods: The Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) is the sole provider of full-coverage health insurance for Korean citizens. NHIS-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) was a standardized cohort representative of Korean population. Based on biennial health exam at 2003 and 2004, we investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and the incidence of CCVDs [ischemic stroke (IS), hemorrhagic stroke (HS) and myocardial infarction (MI)] and all-cause mortality until 2013, using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Among 204,557 participants (median follow up, 9.1 years), the following events were observed: IS 3,274; HS 1,056; MI 1,065 ; and all-cause mortality 8,771 cases. The hazards for IS and MI remained below the null point for the moderate alcohol consumption, but the risk for HS increased in heavy drinkers. In composite outcome indices, moderate consumption was associated with a lower risk for CCVD and all-cause mortality; however, the risk for all-cause mortality was significantly elevated in cases of heavy drinkers. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption was associated with a decreased risk of both CCVD, specifically ischemic vascular disease, and all-cause mortality at moderate dose, but this protective relationship was offset by an increase in the risk for HS and mortality at heavy dose.

Low Vs. High Alcohol: Central Benefits Vs. Detriments.

The dose-dependent effects of alcohol, where the initial euphoric and stimulant effects initiated by the exposure to low ethanol levels can quickly lead to a deadly consequence are well established. Thus, high blood alcohol concentration (BAC), as seen in alcoholics, can cause significant damage to various organs. At low concentrations (e.g., 10mg% or lower), however, beneficial effects of alcohol, particularly on cardiovascular function have been reported. Although, the latter assertion has been challenged by recent epidemiological studies, protective effects of low alcohol concentrations in vitro and in vivo relevant to the central nervous system (CNS) is well documented. In this review, the mechanism(s) leading to the detrimental effects of high BAC, as well as the beneficial effects of low BAC will be discussed. In addition, gender consideration is touched upon. Although further investigation is clearly warranted, it may be concluded that at least some of the beneficial outcomes of low BAC, including possible neuroprotection and antidepressant-like effects, may be due to elevation of the neurotropic factors and reduction of inflammatory mediators, whereas detrimental outcomes associated with high BAC, including neurotoxicity and depressive-like behavior may be due to reduction in neurotropic factors and elevation of inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, new research strategies are suggested.

Difference in sensitivities of blood HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels to alcohol in middle-aged Japanese men.

Blood HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels are known to be higher and lower, respectively, in drinkers than in nondrinkers, and the beneficial effects of alcohol on cholesterol metabolism are thought to mainly explain the lower risk for ischemic heart disease in light-to-moderate drinkers than in nondrinkers. However, it remains unknown whether sensitivities of HDL and LDL cholesterol levels to alcohol are different or not. The subjects of this study were 21,572 middle-aged Japanese men, and they were divided into three tertile groups for blood HDL cholesterol levels. The relationships between habitual alcohol intake and LDL cholesterol levels were investigated in each tertile for HDL cholesterol. In all of the tertile groups for HDL cholesterol, mean LDL cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the drinking subgroups than in the nondrinking subgroup and tended to be lower with an increase of alcohol intake. In all of the tertile groups for HDL cholesterol, odds ratios for high LDL cholesterol of each drinking subgroup vs. the nondrinking subgroup were significantly lower than the reference level of 1.00, and also tended to be lower with an increase of alcohol intake. The odds ratios of each drinking subgroup tended to be lower in the 1st tertile group for HDL cholesterol than in the 3rd tertile group. Drinkers in the 1st tertile for HDL cholesterol are thought to have relatively low sensitivity of HDL cholesterol to alcohol, but clearly showed lower LDL cholesterol levels than those found in nondrinkers. Therefore, the sensitivity of LDL cholesterol level to alcohol is different from the sensitivity of HDL cholesterol level to alcohol.

Beneficial effects of alcohol and East Asian ethnicity

Beneficial effects of alcohol and East Asian ethnicity

Behavioral and cognitive outcomes for clinical trials in children with neurofibromatosis type 1.

Editors' Note: Commenting on “Behavioral and cognitive outcomes for clinical trials in children with neurofibromatosis type 1,” Walsh et al. disagree with the authors' suggestion to utilize a broad-based battery in clinical trials. Instead, they suggest researchers should select hypothesis-driven domains for a trial. They also encourage neurofibromatosis researchers to participate in the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) International Collaboration. Moll et al., authors of the study, defend their methods and suggest that the pragmatic approach and the explanatory approach can be used in parallel. To Dr. Kang, the “Moderate alcohol intake reduces risk of ischemic stroke in Korea” study may have overestimated the beneficial effect of alcohol because many of the nondrinkers may be ALDH2 …

English

English

SY23-2ALCOHOL AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK. HARMFUL EFFECTS

The clinical evidence of alcohol harmful effects for cardiovascular health was already suggested in old Greece by Hypocrates. Along history, the harmful and beneficial effects of alcohol have coexisted. Alcohol harmful cardiovascular effects have recently been clarified either in acute binge drinking as well as in chronic high-dose cumulated consumption. …

Metabolic and biochemical effects of low-to-moderate alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption has multiple biochemical consequences. Only a few of these are useful as diagnostic markers, but many reflect potentially harmful or beneficial effects of alcohol. Average consumption of 2 to 4 drinks per day is associated with lower overall or cardiovascular mortality risk than either lower or higher intake. We have analyzed the dose-response relationships between reported alcohol consumption and 17 biomarkers, with emphasis on intake of up to 3 drinks per day. Biochemical tests were performed on serum from 8,396 study participants (3,750 men and 4,646 women, aged 51±13years, range 18 to 93) who had provided information on alcohol consumption in the week preceding blood collection. Gamma glutamyl transferase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, carbohydrate-deficient transferrin, urate, ferritin, and bilirubin showed little or no change with alcohol consumption below 2 to 3 drinks per day, but increased with higher intake. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and albumin showed increasing results, and insulin showed decreasing results, across the entire range of alcohol use. Biphasic responses, where subjects reporting 1 to 2 drinks per day had lower results than those reporting either more or less alcohol use, occurred for triglycerides, glucose, C-reactive protein, alkaline phosphatase, and butyrylcholinesterase. Increasing alcohol use was associated with decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in younger women, but higher LDL-C in older men. Some markers show threshold relationships with alcohol, others show continuous ones, and a third group show biphasic or U-shaped relationships. Overall, the biochemical sequelae of low-to-moderate alcohol use are consistent with the epidemiological evidence on morbidity and mortality.

Prefrontal activation patterns of automatic and regulated approach–avoidance reactions – A functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) study

IntroductionThe present pilot study investigated cortical processes during automatic and regulated approach–avoidance reactions for the first time. Methods 1In 15 healthy volunteers, prefrontal activity was measured with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during performance of a joystick version of the Approach–Avoidance Task (AAT). In experiment 1, participants approached (pulled towards their body) and avoided (pushed away from their body) positive and negative pictures. Results 1Incompatible, regulated reactions (avoid positive, approach negative) compared to compatible, automatic reactions (approach positive, avoid negative) caused stronger activation in terms of a decrease of deoxygenated haemoglobin (HHb) in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (i.e., in one of the main instances for behavioural control in humans). Methods 2In the context of pathologically enhanced approach tendencies in addiction disorders and of planned future studies, we presented alcohol and non-alcohol pictures in experiment 2. Results 2Here, left anterior lateral orbitofrontal cortex as part of the general reward system processing secondary rewards showed stronger activation in terms of increased oxygenated haemoglobin (O2Hb) during approaching compared to avoiding alcohol pictures. This difference was positively correlated with participants’ expectation about beneficial effects of alcohol in terms of emotional regulation. DiscussionDespite some limitations due to the pilot character of the study, our results suggest that further combinations of the AAT and functional imaging methods will reveal detailed insight into neuronal mechanisms constituting approach–avoidance as basic behavioural principles and into specifically altered sub-processes in alcohol dependence.

Atherosclerosis Amelioration by Moderate Alcohol Consumption Is Associated With Increased Circulating Levels of Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1

A moderate intake of alcohol is associated with lower cardiovascular mortality, and the role of circulating progenitor cells in the beneficial effect of alcohol on atherosclerosis is unclear. The hypothesis of this study was that alcohol ameliorates atherosclerosis by modulating the circulating levels of stromal cell-derived growth factor (SDF)-1 and vascular progenitor cells. Atherosclerosis was induced by infusion of angiotensin II in apolipoprotein-E deficient mice, which were treated with high and low doses of ethanol for 28 days by intraperitoneal injection. Mice treated with low-dose ethanol had significantly less dilatation and fewer atheromatous lesions than mice receiving the high-dose ethanol. The number of circulating fibrocytes was significantly lower in mice treated with high-dose ethanol compared with mice with atherosclerosis untreated with ethanol. The plasma CXCL12/SDF-1 level was significantly increased in mice treated with low-dose ethanol compared with mice treated with a high dose, and the plasma concentration of transforming growth factor-β1 was significantly increased in mice treated with high-dose ethanol compared with control mice. Ethanol regulated the secretion of SDF-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor from fibroblasts in a dose-dependent and bimodal fashion. The circulating level of CXCL12/SDF-1 may be involved, at least in part, in the differential effects of alcohol consumption on atherosclerosis.

Alcohol Intake and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Younger, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults

Light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. This protective effect of alcohol, however, may be confined to middle-aged or older individuals. Coronary heart disease incidence is low in men <40 years of age and in women <50 years of age; for this reason, study cohorts rarely have the power to investigate the effects of alcohol on coronary heart disease risk in younger adults. This study examined whether the beneficial effect of alcohol on coronary heart disease depends on age. In this pooled analysis of 8 prospective studies from North America and Europe including 192,067 women and 74,919 men free of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancers at baseline, average daily alcohol intake was assessed at baseline with a food frequency or diet history questionnaire. An inverse association between alcohol and risk of coronary heart disease was observed in all age groups; hazard ratios among moderately drinking men (5.0 to 29.9 g/d) 39 to 50, 50 to 59, and >or=60 years of age were 0.58 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36 to 0.93), 0.72 (95% CI, 0.60 to 0.86), and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.97) compared with abstainers. However, the analyses indicated a smaller incidence rate difference between abstainers and moderate consumers in younger adults (incidence rate difference, 45 per 100,000; 90% CI, 8 to 84) than in middle-aged (incidence rate difference, 64 per 100,000; 90% CI, 24 to 102) and older (incidence rate difference, 89 per 100,000; 90% CI, 44 to 140) adults. Similar results were observed in women. Alcohol is also associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease in younger adults; however, the absolute risk was small compared with middle-aged and older adults.

Alcohol consumption and alcohol-attributable burden of disease in Switzerland, 2002

This analysis estimated alcohol-attributable burden of disease for Switzerland. Exposure distributions were taken from the 2002 Swiss Health Survey and adjusted for per capita consumption. Risk relations were taken from meta-analyses. Mortality and burden of disease data were taken from the World Health Organization. Overall consumption and alcohol-attributable mortality and burden of disease in Switzerland were high compared to European and global averages, especially among women. Overall in Switzerland in 2002, 2016 deaths (5.2% of all deaths in men, 1.4% in women), 28,939 years of life lost (men: 10.5%, women: 4.9%) and 70,256 disability adjusted life years (men: 12.9%, women: 4.2%) were attributable to alcohol. These numbers are net numbers already incorporating the cardioprotective and other beneficial effects of alcohol. Limitations of the approach used are discussed. In addition, questions of causality and confounding are addressed.

Women, Aging, and Alcohol Use Disorders

SUMMARY The increase in prevalence rates of alcohol use disorders in younger versus older cohorts of female drinkers is many times higher than the corresponding increase in prevalence rates for male drinkers. Thus, the number and impact of older female drinkers is expected to increase over the next 20 years as the disparity between men's and women's drinking rates decrease. Due to differences in metabolism of alcohol, women of all ages compared to men are at higher risk for negative physical, medical, social, and psychological consequences associated with at-risk and higher levels of alcohol consumption. Aging women face new sets of antecedents related to challenges in the middle and older adult phases of life, such as menopause, retirement, “empty nest,” limited mobility, and illness. As women age, they are subject to an even greater physiological susceptibility to alcohol's effect, as well as to a risk of synergistic effects of alcohol in combination with prescription drugs. On the other hand, there is mixed research indicating that older women may benefit from the buffering effect of low levels of alcohol on hormonal declines associated with menopause, perhaps serving as a protective factor against Coronary Heart Disease and osteoporosis. However, with heavier drinking, these benefits are either reversed or eclipsed. In addition, any alcohol consumption increases the risk for breast cancer in older women. The possible beneficial effects of alcohol must be weighed with the fact that the research does not typically establish causality, that low-risk drinking equates to one standard drink per day, that there is a risk of progression towards alcohol dependence, and that there are alternate methods to gain the same benefits without the associated risks. Older women also experience unique barriers to detection of and treatment for alcohol problems. Current treatment options specifically for older women are limited, though researchers are beginning to address differential treatment response of older women, as well as development of elder women-specific treatment approaches. Treatment options include self-help/mutual peer support, which provides ancillary advantages, brief interventions in primary care settings, which have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing drinking levels, and cognitive behavioral techniques, which have been demonstrated to be useful; but more studies and larger samples are needed. Elder-specific treatments need to be appropriate in terms of content, to address the challenges associated with life stage, such as the loss of the parental role and widowhood, and in terms of process, such as delivery in a respectful therapeutic style and at a slower pace. Future directions in research should address the lack of assessment instruments, the risks of simultaneous use of alcohol and prescription medications, and the under-representation of older women in randomized trials of alcohol treatments.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Heart Failure in the Physicians’ Health Study I

Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospitalization among the elderly, and 1 in 5 adults aged 40 years will develop HF in their lifetime. Data on the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on the risk of HF have been sparse and inconsistent. This study sought to evaluate the association between moderate alcohol consumption and incident HF. A total of 21,601 participants of the Physicians' Health Study I who were free of HF and provided data on alcohol intake at baseline were prospectively followed up from 1982 to 2005. Incident HF cases were ascertained through annual follow-up questionnaires and validated with the use of Framingham criteria. During an average follow-up of 18.4 years, 904 incident cases of HF occurred. The crude incidence rates of HF were 25.0, 20.0, 24.3, and 20.6 cases per 10,000 person-years for alcohol categories of <1, 1 to 4, 5 to 7, and >7 drinks per week, respectively. Corresponding hazard ratios (95% CI) were 1.0 (reference), 0.90 (0.76 to 1.07), 0.84 (0.71 to 0.99), and 0.62 (0.41 to 0.96), respectively, with P for trend=0.012 adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking, and history of valvular heart disease. There was no evidence for a strong association between moderate alcohol consumption and HF without antecedent coronary artery disease. Although heavy drinking should be discouraged, our data indicate that moderate drinking may lower the risk of HF. The lack of an association between moderate alcohol intake and HF without antecedent coronary artery disease suggests that possible benefits of moderate drinking on HF may be mediated through beneficial effects of alcohol on coronary artery disease.

Sequelae of Systemic Hypertension in Alcohol Abstainers, Light Drinkers, and Heavy Drinkers

A link exists between alcohol intake and increased blood pressure (BP), with many studies showing increased hypertension prevalence in heavy drinkers. The harmful and beneficial effects of alcohol can confound the study of the long-term risks of alcohol-related hypertension. We therefore studied cardiovascular sequelae separately in heavy drinkers, light drinkers, and abstainers among 127,212 subjects with BP and alcohol intake ascertained at 1978 to 1985 health examinations. Subsequent cardiovascular end points included mortality risk, hospitalization risk, and outpatient diagnosis of hypertension. Analyses were performed for all subjects and stratified by 5 alcohol-drinking categories (from never drinkers to >or=3 drinks/day). With <120/80 mm Hg as the referent, Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals for 3 higher BP categories (120 to 129/80 to 84, 130 to 139/85 to 89, and >or=140/90 mm Hg). The covariates were age, gender, race, body mass index, education, and smoking. The risk of all outcomes was progressively higher for increasing BP categories, with a similarly increased risk for abstainers, light drinkers, and heavy drinkers. The interaction tests for alcohol and BP were not statistically significant for the mortality and hospitalization outcomes. Interpretation was limited by an inability to separate subjects with increased BP from alcohol consumption from those with other etiologies. In conclusion, the data indicate that the risks of hypertension are similar regardless of the amount of alcohol consumption.

Alcohol, wine and mental health: focus on dementia and stroke

The relative risks of coronary heart disease (CHD) and overall mortality are reduced by moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages, particularly wine, which has major implications for public health. It appears likely that this beneficial effect of alcohol will soon be extended to some mental disorders. Although data on psychosis and mood and anxiety disorders are currently lacking, it appears that the relative risks of developing ischaemic stroke and Alzheimer's or vascular dementia are also lowered by moderate alcohol consumption. Such findings are still tentative because of the inherent methodological problems involved in population-based epidemiological studies, and it is unclear whether the benefit can be ascribed to alcohol itself or to other constituents specific to wine such as polyphenols. Plausible biological mechanisms have been advanced for the protective effect of alcohol and wine against CHD, many of which will also play roles in their protective actions against cerebrovascular disease and dementia. The specific antioxidant properties of wine polyphenols may be particularly important in preventing Alzheimer's disease. Because of the substantially unpredictable risk of progression to problem drinking and alcohol abuse, the most sensible advice to the general public is that heavy drinkers should drink less or not at all, that abstainers should not be indiscriminately encouraged to begin drinking for health reasons, and that light to moderate drinkers need not change their drinking habits for health reasons, except in exceptional circumstances.