Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol is believed to increase the levels of "good" or high-density lipoproteins in your body. High-density lipoproteins, or HDL, reduce cholesterol by repackaging it in the liver for use and excretion. The level of HDL in your body must remain in balance with the less-desirable low-density lipoproteins, or LDL, for optimal health.
LDL
Low-density lipoproteins transport cholesterol through your blood to your liver for processing and excretion. Because LDL consist of large amounts of cholesterol attached to protein, high levels can be detrimental to your heart health. They can attach to arterial walls and form plaque buildup, which can lead to heart attack, blood clots and strokes. Levels of LDL that read 190 mg/dL is considered very high; levels of 160 mg/dL to 189 mg/dL is high; and levels at 130 mg/dL to 159 mg/dL is considered borderline. To maintain heart health, an acceptable level of LDL is considered 100 mg/dL to 129 mg/dL; less than 100 mg/dL is ideal.
HDL
The amount of LDL in your body is dependent upon how much cholesterol is present in your bloodstream. In contrast, having a higher ratio HDL to LDL is useful in preventing heart disease. High-density lipoproteins are most protective when their levels are at 60 mg/dL or higher; women with a reading of less than 47 mg/dL and men with a reading of 37 mg/dL or less are more vulnerable to coronary heart disease, according to an article published in U.S. News & World Report.
Alcohol
Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol is considered heart healthy because of the benefits of increased HDL. However, an article in the Oxford Journals on alcohol and alcoholism shows that alcohol consumption that exceeds recommended amounts has not been shown to augment HDL's increasing effect and instead gives rise to other detrimental results. According to the American Heart Association, moderate alcohol consumption equates to one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Drinking too much or binge drinking, which is defined as regularly drinking more than the recommended amounts in one sitting, can have the opposite effect on your heart.
Trigylcerides
Drinking too much alcohol can exacerbate the risk of coronary artery disease, especially if you already suffer from high cholesterol. It can also cause weight gain, liver disease and trigger your liver to produce more triglycerides than normal. Triglycerides, according to the American Heart Association, are those fats found in food that pass through your bloodstream and into fat cells after a meal.
Function
Cholesterol builds your cells and hormones, and triglycerides give them energy to operate. Food that is not immediately used for energy will eventually become triglycerides and be stored for later use in fat cells.
References
- National Institutes of Health: What Makes Your Cholesterol High or Low?
- Princeton University: Wordnet
- US News & World Report: Lowering LDL Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Alcohol, Wine and Cardiovascular Disease
- Cardioprotective Effects of Light--Moderate Consumption of Alcohol: A Reveiw of Putative Mechanisims
