MODERATE DOSES OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WITH DINNER AND POSTPRANDIAL HIGH-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN COMPOSITION

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coro nary heart disease. In this study, postprandial changes in plasma lipi ds, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) composition and cholesteryl ester t ransfer protein (CETP) and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT ) activity levels were investigated in response to moderate alcohol co nsumption. A dose of 40 g of alcohol was consumed as beer, wine or spi rits by eight healthy middle-aged men before and during dinner thus si mulating social drinking. Lipid parameters were studied before, and at 1, 3, 5, 9, and 13 h after dinner. An alcohol-induced elevation of pl asma triglycerides was observed at 3 and 5 h after dinner, but total p lasma cholesterol and apolipoprotein B were hardly affected. HDL lipid s changed during the postprandial phase after alcohol consumption, HDL triglycerides were elevated at 5 and 9 h, HDL phospholipids were elev ated at 9 and 13 h, and HDL cholesterol was elevated at 13 h. A 6% inc rease in the concentration of apolipoprotein A-II was observed at 13 h . Plasma LCAT activity was slightly increased 9 h after dinner, but CE TP activity levels were not affected. The LCAT changes appeared simila r for all three alcoholic beverages. It is concluded that moderate alc ohol consumption with dinner affects plasma triglyceride concentration as well as HDL composition.