Proteins of beer affect lipid levels in rats

Consumption of dry matter of alcoholic beverages leads to improved lipid me tabolism and increased antioxidant activity in experiments on rats. Protein s and amino acids are part of the dry matter. Are proteins and amino acids playing a role in these changes? Amino acid analysis, electrophoretic separ ation and Fourier transform-infrared spectra (FT-IR) were used to determine and characterize proteins and amino acids in beer and white wine. The cont ents of total proteins, albumin and of most studied amino acids in beer wer e significantly higher than in white wine (P < 0.05-0.0005). Thirty-six rat s were divided in 3 groups, each 12. The rats of the Control group were fed basal diet (BD) only and the BD of the two experimental groups (B and WW) was supplemented with lyophilized, polyphenol-free beer and white wine, res pectively. Before and after completion of the 4 weeks feeding period, total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides (TG) and lipid peroxides (LP) were examined. Only in the group of rats (B) fed diet, supplemented with beer a significant decrease in the level of TC, LDL-C and TG was observed (P < 0.05, 0.05 and 0.005, respectively). No dif ferences in the level of LP in all 3 groups were found. Therefore, only die t supplemented with lyophilized, polyphenol-free beer, which has significan tly higher concentration of proteins and essential amino acids than white w ine does affect the level of plasma lipids in rats. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scien ce Inc. All rights reserved.