Abstract
Objective: While excessive drinking promotes atherosclerosis, alcohol intake of an appropriate amount is known to reduce overall mortality and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases. In this study, the effects of habitual drinking on various risk factors of atherosclerosis were evaluated in males undergoing human dock health screening. Methods: The subjects were 996 males who underwent human dock health screening at our hospital. They were divided into 4 groups according to the level of alcohol consumption: None,26g/day or less,26-52g/day, and more than 52g/day. No significant difference was noted in age or body mass index(BMI) among the 4 groups. Tests associated with lifestyle-related diseases were performed, and insulin sensitivity and secretion ability were evaluated by calculating the HOMA-%S and HOMA-%β, respectively. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), which is an index of atherosclerosis, was also determined. Results: Drinking 26g/day or less significantly increased the blood pressure and serum HDL-cholesterol levels but significantly decreased serum LDL-cholesterol and high-sensitivity CRP levels compared with non-drinker. Drinking 26g/day or less did not significantlyaffect serum triglyceride, uric acid or fasting plasma glucose levels. Drinking more than 26g/day further increased blood pressure and also increased serum triglyceride, uric acid, and fasting plasma glucose levels. It also significantly increased high-sensitivity CRP levels compared with drinking 26g/day or less. While drinking increased insulin sensitivity, drinking more than 26g/day significantly reduced insulin secretion. Conclusions: Drinking 26g/day or less was suggested to have a suppressive effect on atherosclerosis. However, drinking more than 26g/day is considered to promote atherosclerosis by exerting adverse effects on multiple factors related to atherosclerosis.
