High density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol is often called "good" cholesterol due to its beneficial health effects. Every incremental increase in HDL cholesterol results in decreased heart disease risk. Therefore, raising HDL levels is a great way to ensure the health of your heart. Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol has been shown to be one way to increase HDL levels.
Types of Lipoproteins
In addition to HDL, there is another abundant type of lipoprotein: low-density lipoprotein, or LDL. HDL and LDL have opposing effects on heart heath. HDL is heart healthy, while LDL can promote heart disease. The heart-healthy effects of HDL are because it is targeted to the liver to be broken down and removed from the body. In contrast, LDL transports cholesterol from the liver to tissues throughout the body. A healthy person has high HDL levels and low LDL levels.
High LDL levels cause deposition of cholesterol in the blood vessels, which in turn can lead to atherosclerosis. This disease is characterized by stiff, narrow blood vessels and can cause increased blood pressure, making the heart work much harder than normal. Atherosclerosis may also cause clots that block the flow of blood and cause a heart attack.
Alcohol's Effect on Cholesterol
The health effects of alcohol on the body have been extensively studied over many years, and these results indicate that, in moderation, alcohol is safe and even healthy for you. Alcohol does indeed increase HDL cholesterol at least slightly. The University of Massachusetts Medical School adds that drinking moderate amounts of specifically red wine has been shown to be healthy for the heart.
Effects of Excessive Alcohol Consumption
To achieve the heart-healthy effects of alcohol, moderation is required. The beneficial effects disappear if you drink too much. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to heart damage and ultimately heart failure, a condition in which the heart is unable to pump a sufficient amount of blood to bodily tissues.
Recommendations
The American Heart Association notes that, despite research indicating that alcohol raises HDL levels in your body, it is not wise to begin drinking alcohol solely for its heart-healthy benefits. They further report that no scientific studies have shown that the benefits of alcohol on heart health and cholesterol levels are better than the benefits attained by exercising, eating healthy foods and maintaining a healthy weight. If you do drink alcohol, the healthiest levels are in the moderate range, which is an average of one drink a day for women, and two drinks a day for men. One drink is considered 12 oz of beer, 4 oz of wine or 1.5 oz of hard liquor. Drinking more than these amounts is considered excessive drinking.
