How does alcohol affect cholesterol and heart disease?
Learn about the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on cholesterol and human health.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.There are two major protein complexes that transport cholesterol through the bloodstream: high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Cholesterol attached to LDLs is primarily that which builds up in atherosclerotic deposits in the blood vessels; for this reason, LDL is often described as the “bad” form of cholesterol. HDLs, on the other hand, may actually serve to retard or reduce atherosclerotic buildup, and hence HDL is often referred to as the “good” form of cholesterol.
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Transcript
SPEAKER 1: Some of you out there probably heard of the French Paradox. Even though the French have a diet high in saturated fat, they have much lower rates of coronary heart disease, relatively speaking. Well, scientists initially thought it was the antioxidant polyphenols, found in red wine. But as it turns out, the biggest effect on heart disease comes from your run of the mill ethanol alcohol.
Cholesterol is a big cause of heart disease, and there are two different carriers that transport it through your bloodstream, LDL and HDL. LDL cholesterol is the kind that attaches itself to your arteries, and over time can start forming a plaque that can block them. Then there's HDL, the good kind of cholesterol that helps our body safely process and get rid of LDL cholesterol.
Here's where ethanol comes in. Moderate alcohol consumption boosts our body's production of HDL cholesterol, which can decrease a person's risk of heart disease. This means that a glass a day of red wine can be swapped out with any drink that suit's your fancy. But be careful people. Over consumption of alcohol is directly linked to heart disease. So moderation is a must.
Cholesterol is a big cause of heart disease, and there are two different carriers that transport it through your bloodstream, LDL and HDL. LDL cholesterol is the kind that attaches itself to your arteries, and over time can start forming a plaque that can block them. Then there's HDL, the good kind of cholesterol that helps our body safely process and get rid of LDL cholesterol.
Here's where ethanol comes in. Moderate alcohol consumption boosts our body's production of HDL cholesterol, which can decrease a person's risk of heart disease. This means that a glass a day of red wine can be swapped out with any drink that suit's your fancy. But be careful people. Over consumption of alcohol is directly linked to heart disease. So moderation is a must.
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