Moderate Drinking Linked to Slower Declines of HDL

14 Nov 2016 --- Moderate drinking was associated with slower declines in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol, over time, according to a preliminary study presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2016. 

Researchers followed alcohol consumption and HDL levels for more than six years in this community-based study looking at 80,000 healthy Chinese adults.

The researchers grouped the adults by self-reported drinking status, from never, to heavy drinking (more than one daily serving of alcohol for women and more than two daily servings for men). 

They found that HDL levels decreased over time in all participants, but moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a slower decline compared to non-drinkers or heavy drinkers. 

Moderate drinkers, men drinking one to two alcohol servings daily and women a half to one serving daily, had the slowest decline – 0.17 mmol/per year. 

Heavy drinking nearly eliminated this benefit with only .0008 mmol per year decline. 

The researchers also analyzed whether the benefits of alcohol consumption depended on the type alcohol consumed. 

They found levels of HDL also decreased more slowly with self-reported moderate beer consumption.

Among hard liquor drinkers, only self-reported light to moderate drinking, men drinking less than 1 serving a day; women drinking zero to .4 servings daily, resulted in slower rates of HDL decline. 

There weren’t enough wine drinkers to test wine’s effects on HDL, researchers said.

Further studies are needed to determine if this effect is observed in other populations, such as a US population, and whether there are significant and clinically relevant outcomes based on the type of alcohol consumed.

Current recommendations from the American Heart Association suggest that adults should consume alcohol in moderation if they already drink, but caution people to not start drinking.