Cholesterol, High Cholesterol

Moderate red wine consumption has been associated with not only improved cholesterol profile, but also decreased cardiovascular risk, reduced mortality, improved bone density in older adults, and reduced risk of cancer esophageal and gastric cancer. Multiple studies have shown that red wine is more beneficial in reducing the risks of coronary artery disease (CAD) and mortality in general when compared with other alcoholic beverages such as spirits, beer and white wine. HDL cholesterol have been found to be increase with red wine consumption in numerous studies. (69)

A parallel four-armed intervention studied the relationship between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and wine drinkers. Sixty-nine men and women aged 38-74 years old were randomized to either 1: red wine (males: 300 ml/day, 38.3 g alcohol/day, female subjects: 200 ml/day, 25.5 g alcohol/day), 2: water + red grape extract tablets (wine-equivalent dose), 3: water + red grape extract tablets (half dose), or 4: water + placebo tablets. At the end of the 4-week study period, results showed that drinking red wine in moderation increased HDL cholesterol by 11–16% and decreased fibrinogen (a protein that plays a key role in blood clotting) by 8–15% compared with drinking water with or without red fermented grape extract. The findings suggest that it is the alcohol component of red wine that is causing these beneficial effects. In conclusion, moderate alcohol consumption in the form of red wine and other beverages is associated with beneficial changes in blood lipids and fibrinogen that may help to reduce the risk of CVD. (70)