Effect of type of alcoholic beverages on carbohydrate-deficient transferrin, sialic acid, and liver enzymes.

BACKGROUND: There are only limited data obtained under well controlled conditions on the effects of moderate drinking on markers of alcohol use disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of moderate intake of different alcoholic beverages on these markers, including carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), sialic acid (SA), and the liver enzymes gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase. METHODS: Eleven apparently healthy, nonsmoking middle-aged men were included in a 12-week randomized, diet-controlled crossover trial according to a 4 x 4 Latin-square design. Changes in CDT, SA, gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase were analyzed after 3 weeks of daily intake of four glasses (40 g of alcohol) of red wine, beer, spirits (Dutch gin), or water (control). RESULTS: After 3 weeks' daily consumption of red wine, a significant decrease of serum CDT concentration was observed compared with water consumption. There was no effect of any alcoholic beverage on the other outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: Daily consumption of 40 g of alcohol from different types of alcoholic beverages with dinner did not affect SA or liver enzymes. Further investigations to explore the mechanisms for the red wine-induced decreases of CDT, including changes in iron metabolism, are clearly needed.

Moderate alcohol consumption reduces plasma C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels; a randomized, diet-controlled intervention study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on the acute phase proteins C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. DESIGN: Randomized, diet-controlled, cross-over study. SETTING: The study was performed at TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist, The Netherlands. SUBJECTS: Ten middle-aged men and 10 postmenopausal women, all apparently healthy, non-smoking and moderate alcohol drinkers, were included. One women dropped out because of a treatment-unrelated cause. The remaining 19 subjects finished the experiment successfully. INTERVENTIONS: Men consumed four glasses and women consumed three glasses of beer or no-alcohol beer (control) with evening dinner during two successive periods of 3 weeks. The total diet was supplied to the subjects and had essentially the same composition during these 6 weeks. Before each treatment there was a 1 week washout period to compensate for possible carry-over effects. RESULTS: Plasma C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels were decreased by 35% (P=0.02) and 12.4% (P< or =0.001), respectively, after 3 weeks' consumption of beer, as compared to no-alcohol beer consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate alcohol consumption significantly decreased plasma C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels. An anti-inflammatory action of alcohol may help explain the link between moderate alcohol consumption and lower cardiovascular disease risk. SPONSORSHIP: Dutch Foundation for Alcohol Research (SAR).

Alcohol consumption stimulates early steps in reverse cholesterol transport.

Alcohol consumption is associated with increased HDL cholesterol levels, which may indicate stimulated reverse cholesterol transport. The mechanism is, however, not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol consumption on the first two steps of the reverse cholesterol pathway: cellular cholesterol efflux and plasma cholesterol esterification. Eleven healthy middle-aged men consumed four glasses (40 g of alcohol) of red wine, beer, spirits (Dutch gin), or carbonated mineral water (control) daily with evening dinner, for 3 weeks, according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. After 3 weeks of alcohol consumption the plasma ex vivo cholesterol efflux capacity, measured with Fu5AH cells, was raised by 6.2% (P < 0.0001) and did not differ between the alcoholic beverages. Plasma cholesterol esterification was increased by 10.8% after alcohol (P = 0.008). Changes were statistically significant after beer and spirits, but not after red wine consumption (P = 0.16). HDL lipids changed after alcohol consumption; HDL total cholesterol, HDL cholesteryl ester, HDL free cholesterol, HDL phospholipids and plasma apolipoprotein A-I all increased (P < 0.01). In conclusion, alcohol consumption stimulates cellular cholesterol efflux and its esterification in plasma. These effects were mostly independent of the kind of alcoholic beverage

Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on fibrinogen levels in healthy volunteers is discordant with effects on C-reactive protein.

In a diet-controlled, crossover trial with 10 middle-aged men and 9 postmenopausal women, baseline concentrations of fibrinogen influenced the magnitude of decrease of fibrinogen after moderate alcohol consumption. The mechanism of reduction is specific for fibrinogen and unrelated to a reduction in C-reactive protein.

Moderate alcohol consumption and changes in postprandial lipoproteins of premenopausal and postmenopausal women: a diet-controlled, randomized intervention study.

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Earlier studies in men have shown that moderate alcohol consumption affects lipoprotein metabolism and hemostasis. In this diet-controlled, randomized, crossover trial, we investigated the effect on lipoprotein metabolism of moderate consumption of red wine or red grape juice with evening dinner for 3 weeks in premenopausal women using oral contraceptives and in postmenopausal women. After 3 weeks, blood samples were collected 1 hour before dinner up to 19 hours after starting dinner at 2-hour or 4-hour intervals. Plasma triglyceride concentrations and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyceride levels peaked 3 hours after dinner with wine in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. After wine consumption, the overall high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level was increased in postmenopausal women (mean increase 0.17 mmol/L, or 12%, p = 0.03), and the plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level was reduced in premenopausal women (mean reduction 0.35 mmol/L, or 12%, p = 0.01) as compared with grape juice consumption. The findings suggest that postprandial lipoprotein metabolism after moderate alcohol consumption differs between oral contraceptive-using premenopausal women and postmenopausal women. The response of postmenopausal women to alcohol resembled the response found in earlier studies in men.

Moderate consumption of beer, red wine and spirits has counteracting effects on plasma antioxidants in middle-aged men.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the in vivo effects of moderate consumption of red wine, beer and spirits on antioxidants, antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant capacity. DESIGN: Randomized, diet-controlled, cross-over study. SUBJECTS: Twelve apparently healthy, non-smoking middle-aged men were included; 11 of them completed the study. INTERVENTIONS: Each subject consumed four glasses of red wine, beer, spirits and water (negative control) with evening dinner during four successive periods of 3 weeks, daily at the Institute. The total diet was supplied to the subjects and had essential the same composition during these 12 weeks. RESULTS: Neither the enzyme activities of serum glutathion peroxidase, erythrocyte glutathion reductase and superoxide dismutase nor the plasma concentrations of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, lutein, zeaxantin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and alpha-carotene were affected. Plasma beta-carotene concentrations were decreased after 3 weeks' consumption of red wine, beer and spirits (40 g alcohol/day) as compared to consumption of water, by 15% (P=0.0005), 11% (P=0.010) and 13% (P=0.003), respectively. Also, plasma ascorbic acid was decreased after beer (15%, P=0.004) and spirits (12%, P=0.030), but not after wine consumption. Serum uric acid concentrations were increased after consumption of beer (15%, P<0.0001), spirits (8%, P=0.008) and red wine (9%, P=0.003). The overall serum antioxidant capacity, assessed as Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), was similar for all treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate consumption of red wine, beer and spirits has counteracting effects on plasma antioxidant components, resulting in no significant effect on overall antioxidant status. The effects on antioxidant parameters are largely independent of the type of alcoholic beverage, and probably irrelevant to chronic disease risk. SPONSORSHIP: Dutch Foundation for Alcohol Research (SAR).

Effect of consumption of red wine, spirits, and beer on serum homocysteine.

Serum homocysteine increases after moderate consumption of red wine and spirits, not after moderate consumption of beer. Vitamin B6 in beer seems to prevent the alcohol-induced rise in serum homocysteine.

Daily moderate alcohol consumption increases serum paraoxonase activity; a diet-controlled, randomised intervention study in middle-aged men.

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Part of this inverse association may be explained by its effects on HDL. Paraoxonase, an HDL-associated enzyme, has been suggested to protect against LDL oxidation. We examined the effects of moderate consumption of red wine, beer and spirits in comparison with mineral water on paraoxonase activity in serum. In this diet-controlled, randomised, cross-over study 11 healthy middle-aged men consumed each of the beverages with evening dinner for 3 weeks. At the end of each 3 week period, blood samples were collected pre- and postprandially and after an overnight fast. Fasting paraoxonase activity was higher after intake of wine (P<0. 001), beer (P<0.001), and spirits (P<0.001) than after water consumption (149.4+/-111.1, 152.6+/-113.1, 152.8+/-116.5 and 143. 1+/-107.9 U/l serum), but did not differ significantly between the 3 alcoholic beverages. Similar effects were observed pre- and postprandially. The increases in paraoxonase activity were strongly correlated with coincident increases in concentrations of HDL-C and apo A-I (r=0.60, P<0.05 and r=0.70, P<0.05). These data suggest that increased serum paraoxonase may be one of the biological mechanisms underlying the reduced coronary heart disease risk in moderate alcohol consumers

Alcohol, coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Despite the solid evidence for thrombosis playing a key role in coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality, identifying specific haemostatic risk factors for CHD has been difficult except for fibrinogen. Excessive alcohol consumption clearly affects platelet function. Moderate alcohol consumption may affect several haemostatic factors, including fibrinogen concentration, platelet aggregability and the fibrinolytic factors tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor. These changes support the hypothesis that moderate alcohol beneficially affects the haemostatic balance in a way that decreases the risk of CHD mortality.

Changes in postprandial lipoproteins of low and high density caused by moderate alcohol consumption with dinner.

We measured the effects of consumption of moderate amounts of beer, wine or spirits with evening dinner on plasma LDL and HDL levels as well as composition in 11 healthy middle-aged men. Forty grams of alcohol were consumed daily with dinner for a period of 3 weeks. Mineral water was used as a negative control. Dinner was served at 6 pm and blood samples were obtained at 1 h before and 3, 5, 9, and 13 h after the start of the meal. No differences were detected between the effects of the different alcohol-containing beverages. Plasma levels of triglycerides (TG), measured 1 h before dinner were very variable and higher than fasting values (means of 2.2 and 1.5 mM, respectively). Daily consumption of 40 g of alcohol with dinner resulted in increased postprandial plasma TG levels and decreased low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations. These effects were transient and observed at 11 pm (TG) and 9 pm and 11 pm (LDL). In contrast, high density lipoproteins (HDL) were raised by alcohol intake at all time points analysed. HDL composition was changed by alcohol consumption, resulting in a raised HDL-cholesterol/apo A-I ratio at 5 pm and 9 pm. The observed alcohol-dependent effects on plasma HDL and LDL during the postprandial phase are considered anti-atherogenic and may contribute to the observed protection against coronary heart disease by moderate alcohol consumption.

Relative bioavailability of the antioxidant flavonoid quercetin from various foods in man.

Quercetin is a strong antioxidant and a major dietary flavonoid. Epidemiological studies suggest that consumption of quercetin protects against cardiovascular disease, but its absorption in man is controversial. We fed nine subjects a single large dose of onions, which contain glucose conjugates of quercetin, apples, which contain both glucose and non-glucose quercetin glycosides, or pure quercetin-3-rutinoside, the major quercetin glycoside in tea. Plasma levels were then measured over 36 h. Bioavailability of quercetin from apples and of pure quercetin rutinoside was both 30% relative to onions. Peak levels were achieved less than 0.7 h after ingestion of onions, 2.5 h after apples and 9 h after the rutinoside. Half-lives of elimination were 28 h for onions and 23 h for apples. We conclude that conjugation with glucose enhances absorption from the small gut. Because of the long half-lives of elimination, repeated consumption of quercetin-containing foods will cause accumulation of quercetin in blood.

Effects of processing conditions on glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables.

Glucosinolates constitute a well-defined group of secondary plant metabolites in cruciferous plants. They occur especially in brassica vegetables, which represent a major part of the human diet. Glucosinolates undergo hydrolysis, catalysed by an endogenous plant enzyme, known as myrosinase, into a range of biological active compounds. Some compounds, for example isothiocyanates, show an anticarcinogenic action by inducing phase II biotransformation enzyme activity (Jongen, Proc. Nutr. Soc. 1996; 55: 433-446). Processing of brassica vegetables influences glucosinolate degradation and therefore the biological activity. We investigate the effects of processing conditions on glucosinolates and their breakdown products. Besides measurement of concentrations also the biological activity of these compounds will be analysed.