EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION ON ERYTHROCYTE LIPIDSAND VITAMINS IN A HEALTHY POPULATION

There is epidemiological evidence that a moderate consumption of alcoh ol could reduce coronary heart disease. To corroborate this statement and to see how the consumption of red wine affects phospholipid and fa tty acid patterns and antioxidant status, a survey was conducted on 58 adult males (20-75 years old). A questionnaire was used to discover t heir medical history, various constitutional and life-style factors, f ood habits, and nutrient intake; and the type and amount of alcoholic intake were investigated by means of a questionnaire. Subjects were di vided into two groups of nondrinkers and average drinkers (mean 46.5 /- 4.4, range 30.2-63.4 g/day), and the effect of alcohol was made on the following variables: gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, apolipoprotein Al, apolipoprotein B, total and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, and antioxidant vitamins were determined in plasma; and phospholipids the fatty acids of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phospha tidylethanolamine total cholesterol, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, and retinol were determined in red blood cells (RBCs). There were no s ignificant differences between the two groups in protein, fat, carbohy drate, retinol equivalent, alpha-tocopherol content, and cholesterol/s aturated fat index of their diet. Analysis of the plasma levels of bio chemical variables-adjusted for age, smoking (number of cigarettes/day ), and body mass index-showed a significant increase of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and apolipoprotein Al concentration in the average drin kers compared with nondrinkers. Plasma alpha-tocopherol and retinol le vels were also significantly higher in average drinkers. In the latter group, ANCOVA demonstrated a lower percentage of sphingomyelin in RBC s, with a lower sphingomyelin/PC ratio. This group also differs from t he non-drinkers in RBC monounsaturated fatty acids (increased 18:1n9 a nd 16:1n7 in PC) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (increase of 20:4n6 a nd 22:6n3 in phosphatidylethanolamine). These differences suggest that membrane fluidity may change in relation to alcohol intake.