Alcohol and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol:a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

1. A randomized controlled trial of cross-over design was set up to examine the effect of alcohol on blood lipids and certain haematological variates relevant to ischaemic heart disease.2. One hundred subjects drank some alcohol for 4 weeks (mean intake 18.4 g/d) and abstained totally for 4 weeks, the order of these periods being randomized.3. Alcohol appeared to produce a rise of 7% in serum high-density-lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol, probably due to a rise in the HDL₂subfraction.4. No significant change was detected in plasma fibrinogen or the other haematoiogical indices.5. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that a moderate intake of alcohol confers some protection against heart disease.