EFFECT OF RED WINE CONSUMPTION ON LIPOPROTEIN (A) AND OTHER RISK-FACTORS FOR ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Epidemiological studies have pointed to the role of alcohol, and red w ine in particular, in reducing the incidence of coronary heart disease . This study attempted to distinguish, in vivo, the effects of compone nts specific to red wine and those of alcohol on lipoproteins, antioxi dant status and membrane fluidity. Volunteers (n = 20) were given 200 mi of red wine per day for 10 days. Following a 6-week washout, this w as repeated with white wine. Changes within treatment groups were anal ysed by paired t tests and repeated measures analysis of variance was used to distinguish effects of red wine components and alcohol. LDL wa s prepared by ultracentrifugation and all other assays were by convent ional laboratory techniques. No effect with either treatment was detec ted on total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL or measures of antioxidan t status, including the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation. Red wine r educed LDL cholesterol (p < 0.01), and both treatments reduced LDL apo B (p < 0.01) and increased LDL chol:apo B ratio (p < 0.01), implying an increase in LDL size. Potential anti-atherogenic changes specific t o red wine were reduction in lipoprotein (a) (p < 0.001) and increased membrane fluidity (p < 0.01). These results are not in keeping with t he proposed role of red wine components in free-radical protection, bu t the reduction in lipoprotein (a) merits further investigation.