Principles of engagement on research and other collaborations between the brewing sector and research entities: the FACT Principles.

Public-private partnerships are subject to intense scrutiny. This is specifically the case for sensitive health-related topics such as alcohol consumption. The brewing sector and representatives of the scientific community therefore stressed the need for specific principles for the proper and transparent governance of research and other collaborations between the brewing sector and research entities. At a 1-day seminar, a group of scientists and representatives from the brewing and food sector reached a consensus for such principles. They adhere to the following four fundamental conditions: Freedom of research, Accessibility, Contextualisation and Transparency. The points of focus in the FACT principles are open science, meaning that the methods and results are made accessible and reusable, and relationships are clearly disclosed. Actions to be taken for dissemination and implementation of the FACT Principles are, for instance, publishing them on public websites, including them in formal research agreements, and citing them in scientific publications. Scientific journals and (research) societies are encouraged to support the FACT Principles. In conclusion, the FACT Principles provide a framework for increased transparency and control of funding-related bias in research and other collaborations between the brewing sector and research entities. Monitoring their use and evaluating their impact will help to further refine and enforce the FACT Principles in the future.

Exploring the Influence of Alcohol Industry Funding in Observational Studies on Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Health.

Funding of research by industry in general can lead to sponsorship bias. The aim of the current study was to conduct an initial exploration of the impact of sponsorship bias in observational alcohol research by focusing on a broad spectrum of health outcomes. The purpose was to determine whether the outcome depended on funding source. We focused on moderate alcohol consumption and used meta-analyses that are the basis of several international alcohol guidelines. These meta-analyses included observational studies that investigated the association of alcohol consumption with 14 different health outcomes, including all-cause mortality, several cardiovascular diseases and cancers, dementia, and type 2 diabetes. Subgroup analyses and metaregressions were conducted to investigate the association between moderate alcohol consumption and the risk of different health outcomes, comparing findings of studies funded by the alcohol industry, ones not funded by the alcohol industry, and studies with an unknown funding source. A total of 386 observational studies were included. Twenty-one studies (5.4%) were funded by the alcohol industry, 309 studies (80.1%) were not funded by the alcohol industry, and for the remaining 56 studies (14.5%) the funding source was unknown. Subgroup analyses and metaregressions did not show an effect of funding source on the association between moderate alcohol intake and different health outcomes. In conclusion, only a small proportion of observational studies in meta-analyses, referred to by several international alcohol guidelines, are funded by the alcohol industry. Based on this selection of observational studies the association between moderate alcohol consumption and different health outcomes does not seem to be related to funding source.

How full is your glass? Portion sizes of wine, fortified wine and straight spirits at home in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol consumption may be wrongly estimated because of inaccurate information on actual portion sizes. We compared portion sizes of wine, fortified wine and straight spirits poured at home with the Dutch standard drink sizes. DESIGN: Participants measured portion sizes of wine, fortified wine and straight spirits at home up to a maximum of three times and reported these via an online survey. Average portion sizes (in millilitres) were compared with the Dutch standard drink sizes. Portion sizes were compared between subgroups of gender, age, BMI and level of education, and for different glass types. SETTING: Wageningen and surroundings, the Netherlands.ParticipantsAdults (N 201) living in the Netherlands and consuming wine and/or straight spirits at home at least once per week. RESULTS: Participants poured on average 129·4 ml white wine and 131·7 ml red wine, which is significantly more than the standard of 100 ml. For fortified wine, the average poured amount was 94·0 ml, significantly more than the standard of 50 ml; also for straight spirits the poured amount was significantly more than the standard (47·0 v. 35 ml). CONCLUSIONS: Participants' portion sizes of wine, fortified wine and straight spirits poured at home were on average larger than the Dutch standard drink sizes. This suggests that at-home alcohol consumption in the Netherlands is underestimated.

Tracking polysaccharides through the brewing process.

Brewing is a highly complex stepwise process that starts with a mashing step during which starch is gelatinized and converted into oligo- and/or monosaccharides by enzymes and heat. The starch is mostly degraded and utilised during the fermentation process, but grains and hops both contain additional soluble and insoluble complex polysaccharides within their cell walls that persist and can have beneficial or detrimental effects on the brewing process. Previous studies have mostly been restricted to analysing the grain and/or malt prior to entering the brewing process, but here we track the fates of polysaccharides during the entire brewing process. To do this, we utilised a novel approach based on carbohydrate microarray technology. We demonstrate the successful application of this technology to brewing science and show how it can be utilised to obtain an unprecedented level of knowledge about the underlying molecular mechanisms at work.

The Diuretic Action of Weak and Strong Alcoholic Beverages in Elderly Men: A Randomized Diet-Controlled Crossover Trial.

With ageing, there is a greater risk of dehydration. This study investigated the diuretic effect of alcoholic beverages varying in alcohol concentration in elderly men. Three alcoholic beverages (beer (AB), wine (AW), and spirits (S)) and their non-alcoholic counterparts (non-alcoholic beer (NAB), non-alcoholic wine (NAW), and water (W)) were tested in a diet-controlled randomized crossover trial. For the alcoholic beverages, alcohol intake equaled a moderate amount of 30 g. An equal volume of beverage was given for the non-alcoholic counterpart. After consumption, the urine output was collected every hour for 4 h and the total 24 h urine output was measured. AW and S resulted in a higher cumulative urine output compared to NAW and W during the first 4 h (effect size: 0.25 mL p < 0.003, effect size: 0.18 mL, p < 0.001, respectively), but not after the 24h urine collection (p > 0.40, p > 0.10). AB and NAB did not differ at any time point (effect size: -0.02 mL p > 0.70). For urine osmolality, and the sodium and potassium concentration, the findings were in line. In conclusion, only moderate amounts of stronger alcoholic beverages, such as wine and spirits, resulted in a short and small diuretic effect in elderly men.

Alcoholic Beverage Preference and Dietary Habits: A Systematic Literature Review.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this review is to systematically and critically evaluate the existing literature into the association between alcoholic beverage preference and dietary habits in adults. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in the databases of Medline (PubMed), ISI Web of Knowledge, and PsycINFO for studies published up to March 2013. From a total of 4,345 unique hits, 16 articles were included in this systematic review. Two independent reviewers extracted relevant data for each study and assessed study quality. RESULTS: 14 cross-sectional and two ecological studies from the United States and several European countries were included. Across different study populations and countries, persons with a beer preference displayed in general less healthy dietary habits. A preference for wine was strongly associated with healthier dietary habits in Western study populations, whereas studies in Mediterranean populations did not observe this. Dietary habits of persons with another preference or who were abstinent were less reported. CONCLUSION: This review has shown that the preference for a specific alcoholic beverage is associated with diet. Thus, it might not be the alcoholic beverage but the underlying dietary patterns that are related to health outcomes.

Inhibition of iron absorption by calcium is modest in an iron-fortified, casein- and whey-based drink in Indian children and is easily compensated for by addition of ascorbic acid.

BACKGROUND: Calcium inhibits and ascorbic acid (AA) enhances iron absorption from iron-fortified foods. Absorption efficiency depends on iron status, although the interaction is unclear. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the ability of AA to overcome calcium-induced inhibition of iron absorption in children differing in iron status. METHODS: The effect of calcium (0, 100, and 200 mg/test meal) on iron absorption in the absence and presence of AA (0, 42.5, and 85 mg/test meal) from a casein/whey-based drink fortified with ferrous sulfate was assessed in a series of randomized crossover studies both in iron-replete (IR) Indian schoolchildren and in children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) (6-11 y; n = 14-16/group) by using stable isotopes. RESULTS: In the absence of calcium and AA, iron absorption from the casein/whey-based drink was 20% lower in IR children than in children with IDA. The addition of calcium reduced mean iron absorption by 18-27%, with the effect being stronger for high added calcium (P < 0.01). AA at a 2:1 or 4:1 molar ratio enhanced iron absorption by a factor of 2-4 and greatly overcompensated for the inhibitory effect of calcium on iron absorption in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.001). The dose-response effect tended to be stronger (P < 0.1) in the IDA group, and iron status was of far less influence on iron absorption than the enhancing effect of AA. CONCLUSION: When adding AA to iron-fortified milk products, care should be taken not to provide absorbable iron in excess of needs.

Is beer consumption related to measures of abdominal and general obesity? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

A systematic review was conducted to assess the evidence linking beer consumption to abdominal and general obesity. Following a systematic search strategy, 35 eligible observational studies and 12 experimental studies were identified. Regarding abdominal obesity, most observational data pointed towards a positive association or no association between beer intake and waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio in men, whereas results for women were inconsistent. Data from a subset of studies indicated that beer intake > 500 mL/day may be positively associated with abdominal obesity. Regarding general obesity, most observational studies pointed towards an inverse association or no association between beer intake and body weight in women and a positive association or no association in men. Data from six experimental studies in men, in which alcoholic beer was compared with low-alcoholic beer, suggested that consumption of alcoholic beer (for 21-126 days) results in weight gain (0.73 kg; P < 0.0001), but data from four studies comparing intake of alcoholic beer with intake of no alcohol did not support this finding. Generally, experimental studies had low-quality data. In conclusion, the available data provide inadequate scientific evidence to assess whether beer intake at moderate levels (<500 mL/day) is associated with general or abdominal obesity. Higher intake, however, may be positively associated with abdominal obesity.

Effect of red wine consumption on biomarkers of oxidative stress.

AIMS: To evaluate the effect of acute and chronic consumption of red wine or de-alcoholized red wine with a similar antioxidant capacity on plasma total antioxidant capacity (TEAC), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity and F2-isoprostanes (8-iso-PGF(2α)) in healthy men. METHODS: Nineteen healthy men with an increased waist circumference (≥94 cm) and a body mass index above 25 kg/m(2) participated in a randomized, controlled crossover design trial. They daily consumed 450 ml of red wine (four drinks; 41.4 g alcohol) or 450 ml of de-alcoholized red wine during dinner for 4 weeks each. On the last day of each treatment period, blood was collected before and 1 h after a standardized dinner with red wine or de-alcoholized red wine and also 24-h urine was collected. RESULTS: Absolute TEAC levels were higher 1 h after dinner with red wine compared with dinner with de-alcoholized red wine (1.3 versus 1.1 mmol Trolox equivalents/l; P = 0.03). Consumption of dinner together with de-alcoholized red wine acutely stimulated NF-κB activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (0.4-0.7 HeLa equivalents/2.5 µg protein; P = 0.006), whereas this increase was completely suppressed when the dinner was combined with red wine. A chronic increase in urinary 8-iso-PGF(2α) after 4 weeks of red wine consumption compared with de-alcoholized red wine consumption (157 pg/mg creatinine and 141 pg/mg creatinine, respectively, P = 0.006) was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of a moderate dose of red wine can acutely increase plasma TEAC and suppress NF-κB activation induced by a meal. Controversially, 4 weeks of red wine consumption compared with de-alcoholized red wine consumption increases the oxidative lipid damage marker 8-iso-PGF(2α).

Kinetics of homocysteine metabolism after moderate alcohol consumption.

BACKGROUND: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Because plasma homocysteine (tHcy) is considered an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and associated with alcohol consumption, the authors investigated the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on kinetics of plasma tHcy concentration, vitamin B status, and other parameters involved in tHcy metabolism. METHODS: Ten healthy men and nine healthy postmenopausal women (aged 45-65 years) participated in a randomized, diet-controlled, crossover trial. They consumed beer or alcohol-free beer (men: 4 units/day; women: 3 units/day) during 3 weeks, separated by a 1-week washout. On days 5, 10, 15, and 20 of each period, fasting blood samples were taken. RESULTS: Plasma tHcy (microM) and S-adenosyl methionine/S-adenosyl homocysteine ratio were not affected by consumption of beer or alcohol-free beer (p = 0.33 and p = 0.14, respectively). Plasma pyridoxal-5-phosphate (microg/liter) increased during consumption of beer (+11.0%), whereas it decreased during consumption of alcohol-free beer (-34.0%; p = 0.042). Changes over time of plasma vitamin B6 (microg/liter) were similar to changes in plasma pyridoxal-5-phosphate (p = 0.10). Serum vitamin B12 was higher (p < 0.001) after 3 weeks consumption of alcohol-free beer (382.8 +/- 23.7 pg/liter) as compared with beer consumption (327.5 +/- 22.2 pg/liter). Changes in serum methionine, cysteine, cystathionine, and plasma folate were not different between beer-drinking and alcohol-free beer-drinking periods. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that moderate alcohol consumption does not affect plasma tHcy concentrations or S-adenosyl methionine/S-adenosyl homocysteine ratio. However, it does increase plasma vitamin B6 and decrease serum vitamin B12.

Alcohol intake and aortic stiffness in young men and women.

BACKGROUND: Moderate alcohol consumption has been shown to protect against cardiovascular disease. Aortic stiffness can be regarded as a marker of cardiovascular disease risk. Previously we have shown an inverse to J-shaped association between alcohol intake and aortic stiffness in middle-aged and elderly men and postmenopausal women. OBJECTIVE: In the present study we examined whether a relation between alcohol intake and aortic stiffness is already present at a younger age. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data of a cohort study in men and women aged 28 years were analysed stratified by gender (240 men and 283 women). MEASUREMENTS: Alcohol intake was derived from a questionnaire and aortic stiffness was assessed by pulse-wave velocity measurement. RESULTS: In women an alcoholic beverage intake of >/=1 glass/day is associated with a 0.36 m/s (95% confidence interval, -0.58 to -0.14) lower pulse-wave velocity compared with non-drinkers. In men alcohol intake is also inversely related to pulse-wave velocity, but this was not significant. These findings were independent of age, blood pressure and heart rate. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that moderate intake of alcohol may affect vascular stiffness at an early age, notably in women. These findings may be viewed as compatible with a vascular protective effect of alcohol that expresses well before the occurrence of symptomatic cardiovascular disease.

Moderate whisky consumption in combination with an evening meal reduces tryptophan availability to the brain but does not influence performance in healthy volunteers.

Brain serotonin (5-HT) synthesis is controlled by nutrients that influence the availability of plasma tryptophan (Trp) as compared with the sum of the other large neutral amino acids (LNAA; Trp:LNAA). Alcohol consumption is found to change mood and performance and this might well be due to alterations in the plasma Trp:LNAA ratio and brain 5-HT. In the present study, we tested whether whisky consumption as part of a meal may alter the plasma Trp:LNAA ratio and influence mood and performance in healthy volunteers. Twenty-four healthy male subjects participated in a within-subjects cross-over study. Subjects consumed whisky (125 ml; 40 g alcohol) or water (125 ml) as part of a standard evening meal. Effects of whisky consumption were tested on mood and choice reaction time and blood samples were taken to measure changes in plasma amino acids, glucose and insulin. The plasma Trp:LNAA ratio showed a significant decline 2 h after whisky consumption of alcohol (P<0.001). No effects were found on choice reaction time or mood as compared with the control condition. The present findings reveal that whisky consumption alters available plasma Trp for uptake into the brain, whereas there were no effects on mood and performance.

Wheat germ policosanol failed to lower plasma cholesterol in subjects with normal to mildly elevated cholesterol concentrations.

Sugar cane policosanol, a mixture of long-chain primary alcohols (approximately 67% as octacosanol), has been reported to lower plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. We investigated the effect of wheat germ policosanol (WGP) on plasma lipid profiles in 58 adults (30 men and 28 women, aged 49 +/- 11 years) with normal to mildly elevated plasma cholesterol concentrations in a double-blind, randomized, parallel placebo-controlled study. Subjects consumed chocolate pellets with or without 20 mg/d WGP for 4 weeks. Plasma lipid concentrations, routine blood chemistry and hematology were determined at the start and the end of the study. The initial plasma total, LDL-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, and triacylglycerol concentrations in the WGP and the control groups were identical. Over the 4 weeks, neither the WGP nor the control treatment significantly changed plasma total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, or triacylglycerol concentrations when compared to baseline values. In addition, there was no significant difference in plasma lipid profiles between the WGP and the control groups at the end of the study. WGP did not result in any adverse effects as indicated by plasma activities of L-gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT), ALT, AST, bilirubin concentrations, and blood cell profiles. Chemical analysis showed that WGP consists of 8% hexacosanol, 67% octacosanol, 12% triacosanol, and 13% other long-chain alcohols, which is similar to the composition of sugar cane policosanol. In conclusion, WGP at 20 mg/d had no beneficial effects on blood lipid profiles. It therefore seems unlikely that the long chain (C24-34) alcohols have any cholesterol-lowering activity.

Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone, and estradiol levels in middle-aged men and postmenopausal women: a diet-controlled intervention study.

BACKGROUND: Moderate alcohol consumption is inversely associated with cardiovascular diseases. Changes in hormone levels might in part help explain the positive health effect. This study was performed to examine the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), testosterone, and estradiol levels. METHODS: In a randomized, diet-controlled, crossover study, 10 middle-aged men and 9 postmenopausal women, all apparently healthy, nonsmoking, and moderate alcohol drinkers, consumed beer or no-alcohol beer with dinner during two successive periods of 3 weeks. During the beer period, alcohol intake equaled 40 and 30 g per day for men and women, respectively. The total diet was supplied and had essentially the same composition during these 6 weeks. Before each treatment there was a 1 week washout period, in which the subjects were not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages. At the end of each of the two experimental periods, fasting blood samples were collected in the morning. RESULTS: Moderate alcohol consumption increased plasma DHEAS level by 16.5% (95% confidence interval, 8.0-24.9), with similar changes for men and women. Plasma testosterone level decreased in men by 6.8% (95% confidence interval, -1.0- -12.5), but no effect was found in women. Plasma estradiol level was not affected. Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level increased by 11.7% (95% confidence interval, 7.3-16.0), with similar changes for men and women. The overall alcohol-induced relative changes in DHEAS, testosterone, and estradiol correlated positively with the relative increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (adjusted for the relative change in body weight); however, findings were only borderline significant for DHEAS and estradiol (r = 0.44, p = 0.08; r = 0.32, p = 0.21; and r = 0.46, p = 0.06, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption for cardiovascular disease risk may in part be explained by increased plasma DHEAS level.

Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on parameters of reverse cholesterol transport in postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption is associated with increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. One of the main antiatherogenic functions of HDL is reverse cholesterol transport. Three early steps of reverse cholesterol transport are (1) cellular cholesterol efflux, (2) plasma cholesterol esterification (EST), and (3) cholesteryl ester transfer (CET) to apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins. Our previous study in healthy middle-aged men showed that moderate alcohol consumption increases cellular cholesterol efflux and EST. This study investigated the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on three early steps of reverse cholesterol transport in postmenopausal women. METHODS: In a randomized crossover study, 18 postmenopausal women--all apparently healthy, non-smoking, and moderate alcohol drinkers--consumed white wine or white grape juice with evening dinner during 2 successive periods of 3 weeks. During the white wine period, alcohol intake equaled 24 g/day. At the end of each of the two experimental periods, blood samples were collected. RESULTS: Three weeks of alcohol consumption increased serum HDL cholesterol levels (5.0%; p < 0.05), serum HDL phospholipid levels (5.8%; p < 0.05), and the ex vivo cellular cholesterol efflux capacity of plasma, measured with Fu5AH cells (3.4%; p < 0.05). Plasma EST and CET did not change. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate alcohol intake increases serum HDL cholesterol level and stimulates cellular cholesterol efflux in postmenopausal women. Moderate alcohol consumption does not seem to affect two other early steps of reverse cholesterol transport at this level of alcohol intake. Our data suggest that the relative protection of moderate alcohol consumption against cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women may involve the stimulation of reverse cholesterol transport through increased HDL.

Alcohol consumption and arterial stiffness in men.

OBJECTIVE: Moderate alcohol consumption has been proposed to be anti-atherogenic and protect against coronary heart disease. Arterial stiffness provides a summary measure of atherosclerotic arterial damage and cardiovascular risk. A vascular protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption would be reflected in an inverse association between alcohol intake and aortic stiffness. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: The male population of Utrecht. PARTICIPANTS: Of 370 men, aged 40-80 years, alcohol intake was calculated from a standardized questionnaire and aortic stiffness was non-invasively assessed by pulse-wave velocity (PWV) measurement of the aorta. RESULTS: There were no non-drinkers; therefore the group consuming 0-3 glasses of alcoholic beverage per week was chosen as the reference group in the analyses. Those drinking 4-10, 11-21 and 22-58 glasses of alcoholic beverage per week had a -0.77 m/s (95% confidence interval, -1.26 to -0.28), -0.57 m/s (95% confidence interval, -1.07 to -0.08) and -0.14 m/s (95% confidence interval, -0.65 to 0.36) difference in mean PWV compared with those drinking 0-3 glasses per week. Adjustment for factors that correlated with PWV or alcohol consumption did not change the strength of the association. CONCLUSION: Among men aged 40-80 years there is a J-shaped association between alcohol consumption and PWV. This further supports a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease with moderate alcohol consumption.

Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and insulin sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: Epidemiological studies suggest that moderate alcohol consumers have enhanced insulin sensitivity and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived plasma protein, has been found to be negatively associated with adiposity and positively associated with insulin sensitivity. Moderate alcohol consumption may increase adiponectin, which in turn causes a decrease of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. A decreased TNF-alpha level may consequently increase insulin sensitivity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: To test this hypothesis, we performed a randomized crossover partially diet-controlled study. A total of 23 healthy middle-aged male subjects consumed daily four glasses of whisky (40 g ethanol) or tap water with dinner during two successive periods of 17 days. RESULTS: Moderate alcohol consumption increased plasma adiponectin level (11%; P = 0.0002) but did not affect plasma TNF-alpha level. An increase in insulin sensitivity index was observed in an insulin-resistant subgroup (21%; P = 0.11), which positively correlated with the relative alcohol-induced increase in plasma adiponectin level (r = 0.73, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The experimental results are in agreement with observational data. Moderate alcohol consumption improved insulin sensitivity in relatively insulin-resistant middle-aged men, an effect that may be mediated through alcohol-induced increases in adiponectin.

Alcohol consumption in relation to aortic stiffness and aortic wave reflections: a cross-sectional study in healthy postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: Moderate alcohol consumption has been postulated to be cardioprotective. Such an effect might be reflected in large-artery properties, such as arterial stiffness and wave reflections. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-one healthy postmenopausal women aged 50 to 74 years were sampled from a population-based study. Alcohol intake was calculated from a standardized questionnaire. Applanation tonometry was applied to assess the augmentation index and aortic pulse-wave velocity. Those drinking 1 to 3, 4 to 9, 10 to 14, and 15 to 35 glasses of alcoholic beverages per week had a 0.044 (95% CI -0.47 to 0.56), -0.085 (95% CI -0.59 to 0.43), -0.869 (95% CI -1.44 to -0.29), and -0.225 (95% CI -0.98 to 0.53) m/s difference in mean pulse-wave velocity compared with nondrinkers, respectively, which indicates a J-shaped relationship. Adjustment for potential confounders of pulse-wave velocity or alcohol intake did not materially change the strength of the association. Adjustment for HDL further attenuated the relationship. The augmentation index was not related to alcohol consumption when adjustments were made for physiological determinants such as age, height, and ejection duration. CONCLUSIONS: Among postmenopausal women, alcohol consumption is inversely associated with pulse-wave velocity. This supports the presence of a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease with moderate alcohol consumption, which may be mediated in part by HDL cholesterol.

Acute and chronic effects of dinner with alcoholic beverages on nitric oxide metabolites in healthy men.

1. The present study investigated the acute and chronic effect of dinner with alcoholic beverages on serum nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, namely nitrate and nitrite (NOx), in 11 healthy, non-smoking middle-aged men. 2. In a randomized, diet-controlled, cross-over trial, subjects consumed dinner with four glasses of red wine, beer, spirits (Dutch gin) or sparkling mineral water (control) for 3 weeks. At the end of each 3 week period, serum NOx concentrations were measured just before and 1, 5 and 13 h after dinner. 3. Serum NOx concentrations were approximately 50% higher 1 and 5 h after dinner with any beverage compared with just before dinner (P = 0.0001). At 1 h after dinner, the serum NOx concentration was approximately 11% lower after dinner with alcoholic beverages compared with concentrations observed after dinner with water (P = 0.01). The fasted serum NOx concentration (13 h after dinner) was similar to the preprandial concentration and there were no differences in serum NOx concentrations between the alcoholic beverages. 4. Food intake acutely and transiently increased serum NOx concentrations, an effect that was slightly attenuated if combined with alcoholic beverages. Chronic moderate alcohol consumption had no effect on serum NOx concentration.