Moderate doses of alcoholic beverages with dinner and postprandial high density lipoprotein composition

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. In this study, postprandial changes in plasma lipids, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) composition and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity levels were investigated in response to moderate alcohol consumption. A dose of 40 g of alcohol was consumed as beer, wine or spirits by eight healthy middle-aged men before and during dinner thus simulating social drinking. Lipid parameters were studied before, and at 1, 3, 5, 9, and 13 h after dinner. An alcohol-induced elevation of plasma triglycerides was observed at 3 and 5 h after dinner, but total plasma cholesterol and apolipoprotein B were hardly affected. HDL lipids changed during the postprandial phase after alcohol consumption, HDL triglycerides were elevated at 5 and 9 h, HDL phospholipids were elevated at 9 and 13 h, and HDL cholesterol was elevated at 13 h. A 6% increase in the concentration of apolipoprotein A-II was observed at 13 h. Plasma LCAT activity was slightly increased 9 h after dinner, but CETP activity levels were not affected. The LCAT changes appeared similar for all three alcoholic beverages. It is concluded that moderate alcohol consumption with dinner affects plasma triglyceride concentration as well as HDL composition.