Wine and its positive effects on cardiovascular health has been a popular subject in the media. Red wine in particular receives praise for its potential to raise good cholesterol levels, reduce bad cholesterol and prevent blood clots. However, if you already take medication for high cholesterol, you should know about potential interactions between wine and your medicine.
Saponins and Resveratrol
Drinking red wine moderation can benefit cardiovascular health and lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and heart failure, MayoClinic.com explains. Grapes and wine contain resveratrol, an organic compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent damage to blood vessels and reduce high cholesterol. It also contains saponin, a compound that binds with cholesterol, absorbing and preventing it from building up, Science Daily reports. Red wine contains more resveratrol and saponins than white wine.
Types of Medication
Doctors use several classes of medication to lower bad cholesterol, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes. These include statins, bile acid sequestrants, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, fibrates, niacin and omega-3 fatty acids. They lower cholesterol levels in different ways. Statins, for instance, directly act to decrease the bad LDL cholesterol, while health care providers mainly use fibrates to raise the good HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides. Patients take some of these drugs alone or in combination with others. Speak with your doctor to determine which cholesterol medication is best for you, given your medical history and current health condition.
Interactions with Alcohol
Some forms of cholesterol medication have adverse interactions when taken in conjunction with high quantities of alcohol. Statins process in the liver and prevent the production of cholesterol in that organ, reports MayoClinic.com. When taken with alcohol, they might result in liver damage. This is why doctors do not recommend statins for patients with liver disorders or those who are heavy alcohol users.
Other types of cholesterol medications such as bile-acid sequestrants and fibrates, while not directly metabolized in the liver, may have their side effects magnified when taken with large amounts of alcohol. These include nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, constipation and muscle pain. In addition, while alcohol does not increase cholesterol itself, it does increase the levels of triglycerides, a type of fat that can block the arteries and potentially lead to heart attack.
Drinking Wine for Lower Cholesterol
Researchers continue to study the effects of wine on heart disease and cholesterol; however, there is a definite positive link between moderate consumption of red wine and improved levels of good cholesterol, assures the American Heart Association. The key is moderate drinking, limited to one glass per day for women and two glasses for men. Still, if you are not a drinker, the American Heart Association explicitly does not recommend that you start drinking simply for the potential benefits to your cardiovascular health, given the other risks involved. Speak with your doctor to learn more about alcohol and cholesterol management.
References
- American Heart Association: Alcohol, Wine and Heart Disease
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; High Cholesterol -- Medicines to Help You; August 2009
- Mayo Clinic; "Red wine, antioxidants and resveratrol: Good for your heart?"; March 2011
- Mayo Clinic; "Statins: Are these cholesterol-lowering drugs right for you?"; February 2011
- Science Daily; "New Cholesterol Fighter Found in Red Wine"; September 2003
