Influence of alcohol intake on risk for increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in middle-aged Japanese men

Background: Decreased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in chronic alcoholics is well known. However, the importance of light to moderate alco hol consumption is less certain. Methods: We investigated the association of alcohol intake with risk for in creased LDL cholesterol over 5 years in a cohort of 933 Japanese male offic e workers aged 35 to 54 years who had LDL cholesterol levels less than 140 mg/dl and were not taking medication for dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabet es, liver disease, or hyperuricemia at study entry. Incident-increased LDL cholesterol was defined by an LDL cholesterol level of 140 mg/dl or more or use of medication for dyslipidemia. Each individual's slope for LDL choles terol was also calculated with a simple linear regression model. Results: Three hundred twenty-one men developed increased LDL cholesterol d uring 3785 person-years of follow-up. After controlling for potential predi ctors of increased LDL cholesterol, the relative risk for increased LDL cho lesterol compared with nondrinkers was 0.89 for those who drank 0.1 to 22.9 g/day of ethanol, 0.74 for those who drank 23.0 to 45.9 g/day of ethanol, 0.64 for those who drank 46.0 to 59.9 g/day of ethanol, and 0.54 for those who drank 69.0 g/day or more of ethanol (p < 0.001). Slopes of LDL choleste rol level decreased significantly as alcohol intake increased. From multipl e linear regression analyses, alcohol intake remained as an independent neg ative factor for slopes of LDL cholesterol level. Conclusions: Alcohol intake is negatively associated with development of in creased LDL cholesterol in middle-aged Japanese men.