The J-shape association of ethanol intake with total homocysteine concentrations: the ATTICA study (original) (raw)
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The effect of Moderate Beer consumption on Plasma Homocysteine and Cholesterol Level
Hyperhomocysteinaemia is implicated in various disease states and conditions including cardiovascular diseases. Various studies have shown that moderate beer consumption helps to lower the level of plasma homocysteine which is beneficial to human health. The aim of this study is therefore the determination of the effect of beer on plasma Homocysteine level in healthy adults in Ekpoma, Nigeria. 40 Healthy fasting adult males and females were screened and randomized into two groups; control (water) and beer (1bottle). They had venepuncture while supine and without tourniquet. Homocysteine, tHcy, assay was done using ELISA with tHcy binding protein as the capturing enzyme. Excluded from the study were subjects with impaired renal and hepatic function. Hypertensives and diabetics were also ruled out. The mean level of tHcy in males and females were 8.4 ± 0.8μmol/L and 7.1 ± 0.5μmol/L respectively and these reduced markedly after two weeks of moderate beer consumption. The cholesterol le...
Alcohol consumption and its relation to cardiovascular risk factors in Germany
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004
Objective: To analyse the association of alcohol consumption and blood lipids, haemostatic factors, and homocysteine in German adults by gender and age groups. Design: Cross-sectional population-based survey. Setting: Data from the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998, representative for age, gender, community size, and federal state. Subjects: From a sample of 7124 Germans between 18 and 79 y old, 2420 women and 2365 men were selected. Only individuals who were not currently receiving medical treatment or did not have disorders related to cardiovascular disease were selected for this study. Results: Using analyses of variance, mean blood levels of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, HDL/total cholesterol ratio, total glycerides, fibrinogen, antithrombin III, and homocysteine adjusted for age, socioeconomic status, East/West Germany residence, body mass index, tobacco use, sports activity, and coffee consumption, if appropriate are presented by alcohol consumption groups (0, 40-10, 410-20, 420-30 and 430 g/day). The HDL/total cholesterol ratio increased with higher alcohol groups up to 10-20 g/day ( þ 15%) for women and 430 g/day ( þ 18%) for men, showing the strongest rise among men aged 55-79 y. Fibrinogen decreased with higher alcohol groups up to 10-20 g/day for women and 20-30 g/day for men. Among women, homocysteine levels showed a U-shaped curve with a minimum of 8.49 mmol/l at 10-20 g alcohol/day (À8%, reference: nondrinking), whereas an inverse association was observed for men. Conclusions: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with favourable levels of several cardiovascular risk factors. The most favourable cardiovascular risk factor profile among women was observed among those drinking 10-20 g alcohol/day. Beneficial effects seem to be more pronounced among older men.
Kinetics of Homocysteine Metabolism After Moderate Alcohol Consumption
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, 2005
Background: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Because plasma homocysteine (tHcy) is considered an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and associated with alcohol consumption, the authors investigated the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on kinetics of plasma tHcy concentration, vitamin B status, and other parameters involved in tHcy metabolism. Methods: Ten healthy men and nine healthy postmenopausal women (aged 45-65 years) participated in a randomized, diet-controlled, crossover trial. They consumed beer or alcohol-free beer (men: 4 units/day; women: 3 units/day) during 3 weeks, separated by a 1-week washout. On days 5, 10, 15, and 20 of each period, fasting blood samples were taken. Results: Plasma tHcy (M) and S-adenosyl methionine/S-adenosyl homocysteine ratio were not affected by consumption of beer or alcohol-free beer (p ϭ 0.33 and p ϭ 0.14, respectively). Plasma pyridoxal-5phosphate (g/liter) increased during consumption of beer (ϩ11.0%), whereas it decreased during consumption of alcohol-free beer (Ϫ34.0%; p ϭ 0.042). Changes over time of plasma vitamin B 6 (g/liter) were similar to changes in plasma pyridoxal-5-phosphate (p ϭ 0.10). Serum vitamin B 12 was higher (p Ͻ 0.001) after 3 weeks consumption of alcohol-free beer (382.8 Ϯ 23.7 pg/liter) as compared with beer consumption (327.5 Ϯ 22.2 pg/liter). Changes in serum methionine, cysteine, cystathionine, and plasma folate were not different between beer-drinking and alcohol-free beer-drinking periods. Conclusions: This study shows that moderate alcohol consumption does not affect plasma tHcy concentrations or S-adenosyl methionine/S-adenosyl homocysteine ratio. However, it does increase plasma vitamin B 6 and decrease serum vitamin B 12 .
International Journal of Cardiology, 2005
Objective: The aim of this work was to investigate the associations between homocysteine levels and several lifestyle-related factors, in a population-based sample of Greek adults. Methods: During 2001 -2002, we randomly enrolled 1128 men and 1154 women, from Athens area. The sampling was stratified by the age -gender distribution of the underlying population. Among several demographic, lifestyle, clinical and biochemical factors, we measured plasma total homocysteine levels. For the present analysis, we excluded people who had a history of cardiovascular disease. Results: Homocysteine values were higher in men as compared to women (14.5 F 6 vs. 10.8 F 3.5 Amol/l, p < 0.001). Twenty-five percent of men and 15% of women had plasma homocysteine levels >14 Amol/l. Postmenopausal women had higher homocysteine levels (12.0 F 5.2 vs. 9.9 F 2.9 Amol/l, p < 0.001). The lifestyle factors most strongly associated with plasma total homocysteine were number of cigarettes smoked (r = 0.12, p = 0.004), fruits (r = À 0.12, p = 0.006) and vegetables consumption (r = À 0.15, p = 0.02), alcohol (r = 0.11, p = 0.04) and coffee drinking (r = 0.10, p = 0.03). Additionally, aerobic exercise was related with lower homocysteine levels as compared to anaerobic or sedentary life (11.0 F 2.6 vs. 12.4 F 2.5 vs. 12.5 F 2.3 Amol/l, respectively, p = 0.04). Multivariate analysis after adjusting for several potential confounders confirmed the previous associations. No relationship was observed of homocysteine with the Mediterranean diet score (r = 0.02, p = 0.85). Conclusions: Several lifestyle-related factors were associated with homocysteine levels. Identifying and understanding modifiable factors related to homocysteine, a possible risk factor for vascular disease, might be especially important for the public health.
Effect of Chronic Alcohol Consumption on Total Plasma Homocysteine Level in Rats
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2000
Background Chronic alcoholism in humans is associated with the development of hyperhomocysteinemia, the mechanism of which remains unclear. Among the causes of hyperhomocysteinemia is depletion of folate, vitamin B,,, or vitamin B,. Population-based studies indicate that folate is the strongest vitamin determinant of hyperhomocysteinemia and, in most settings, folate supplementation effectively lowers elevated homocysteine levels. However, it is not clear whether folate deficiency is the cause of alcoholrelated hyperhomocysteinemia.
QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians, 2008
Background: Few studies have examined the effect of alcohol consumption on total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations. Aim: To assess the effect of an 8-week intervention with vodka or red wine on plasma tHcy and B vitamin concentrations in healthy male volunteers. To assess the effect on tHcy according to methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T genotype. Design and methods: A randomized controlled crossover intervention study measuring tHcy and serum folate and vitamin B 12 concentrations was conducted in 78 male subjects (21-70 years). Following a 2-week washout period during which no alcohol was consumed, all subjects consumed 24 g alcohol (either 240 ml red wine or 80 ml vodka)/day for a 2-week period. Following a further 2-week washout, participants consumed the alternate intervention for 2 weeks.
Alcohol consumption, cardiovascular health, and endothelial function markers
Alcohol, 2007
Cardiovascular diseases are among the worldwide leading causes of shorter life expectancy and loss of quality of life. Thus, any influence of diet or life habits on the cardiovascular system may have important implications for public health. Most world populations consume alcoholic beverages. Since alcohol may have both protective and harmful effects on cardiovascular health, the identification of biochemical mechanisms that could explain such paradoxical effects is warranted. The vascular endothelium is the target of important mediating pathways of differential ethanol concentrations, such as oxidative stress, lipoproteins, and insulin resistance. Alcohol-induced endothelial damage or protection may be related to the synthesis or action of several markers, such as nitric oxide, cortisol, endothelin-1, adhesion molecules, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and haemostatic factors. The expression of these markers is consistent with the J-shaped curve between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular health. However, there is genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity in alcohol response, and despite the apparent beneficial biochemical effects of low doses of ethanol, there is not enough clinical and epidemiological evidence to allow the recommendation to consume alcoholic beverages for abstemious individuals. Considering the potential for addiction of alcoholic beverage consumption and other negative consequences of alcohol, it would be worthwhile to identify substances able to mimic the beneficial effects of low doses of ethanol without its adverse effects. Ó