Blood cholesterol levels of 32-year-old alcohol consumers are better-than of nonconsumers

Blood cholesterol levels are expected to be important factors in the causal pathway between alcohol consumption and CHD. The relation between alcohol consumption and blood cholesterol levels is investigated in 130 men and 145 women aged 32.4 years old (+/-1.0), from the Amsterdam Growth and Health L ongitudinal Study. When controlled for gender, cholesterol levels at age 13 .1 years, and lifestyle at adult age (smoking, physical activity, dietary h abits), no significant differences were found for total cholesterol (TC) le vels between alcohol consumers and nonconsumers. Serum high-density lipopro tein (HDL) cholesterol levels were 0.12 mmol/1 higher in subjects consuming greater than or equal to 100 grams of alcohol per week than in nonconsumer s (p < 0.05). Regression coefficients of subjects consuming 10 to 50, or 50 to 100 g alcohol per week did not differ statistically from those of nonco nsumers. The positive relation between alcohol consumption and serum HDL wa s modified by smoking (found in nonsmokers, but not in smokers). No differe nces between beer, wine, and spirits were found for their relation with ser um HDL. In conclusion, 32.4-year-old nonsmoking subjects who consumed great er than or equal to 100 g of alcohol per week had improved HDL levels compa red with nonconsumers, whereas the protective effect of drinking smaller am ounts of alcohol did not reach statistical significance. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc.