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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Western Human Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #165793
Title: Effect of chronic alcohol consumption on plasma lipids, vitamins A, and E in Korean alcoholics

Author
item SEO, JUNG SOOK - YEUNGNAM UNIV. NURT.FOOD
item Burri, Betty
item YANG, KYUNG - DAEGU HANNY UNIV. NUTR.
item KIM, JUNG - DAEGU SCI.COLLEGE NUTR.
item MIN, HYESUN - HANNAM UNIV.DAEJON NUTR.
item KIM, CHANG - DAEGU MENTAL HOSP.KOREA

Submitted to: Nutrition Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/2004
Publication Date: 12/15/2004
Citation: Seo, J., Burri, B.J., Yang, K.M., Kim, J.M., Min, H., Kim, C.S. 2004. Effect of chronic alcohol consumption on plasma lipids, vitamins A, and E in Korean alcoholics. Nutrition Research. 24:959-968. DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2004.003.

Interpretive Summary: Recent data shows beneficial effects of moderate drinking on the risk for cardiac disease. These studies, have led to dietary recommendations that include moderate consumption of alcohol, especially in the form of red wine. Unfortunately, many people consume alcohol to excess. Alcohol intake is affected by both environmental and inherited biological mechanisms. Prolonged consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol increased medical risks for liver cirrhosis, several neuromuscular disorders, and several types of cancer. The interaction of ethanol and lipid metabolism is relevant to the effect of alcohol consumption on the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver and hyperlipidemia, and to atherosclerosis. In our study, chronic alcohol intake did not have a significant effect on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system in alcoholics. However, chronic alcohol consumption appeared to contribute to lower HDL-cholesterol, higher triacylglycerol, and higher AI, all of which may contribute to increased risk of vascular diseases. Further, vitamin A concentrations were lower in Korean alcoholics than controls, similar to older reports from the United States. These results suggest that some of the effects of excess alcohol intake on Nutrient intakes occur in people eating low fat as well as high fat diets.

Technical Abstract: We evaluated the effect of chronic alcohol consumption on plasma concentrations of lipids and antioxidants in 44 Korean alcoholics and 45 age, sex, and nationality-matched non-alcoholic subjects. Vitamins A and E were measured by reversed-phase chromatography with UV detection. Triacylglycerols and the atherogenic index (AI) were higher in alcoholics than in control subjects, HDL-cholesterol was lower. Alcohol consumption was positively correlated with lipid peroxide and AI; and negatively with HDL-cholesterol. Vitamin E was unaffected, but vitamin A was lower in alcoholics. These results suggest chronic ethanol consumption can contribute to increased risk for vascular diseases and vitamin A deficiency in Korean alcoholics.