Drinking large amounts of alcohol does not seem to increase your cholesterol levels, according to eMedTV.com. In fact, if you drink moderate amounts of alcohol, it may raise the concentration of good cholesterol circulating in your blood. The resveratrol in red wine appears to lower your levels of LDL or bad cholesterol.
Moderate Consumption
Moderate alcohol consumption is defined as one drink a day for women and two drinks for men, depending on the content of alcohol in the drink. For example, 5 ounces of wine, one and a half ounces of 80 proof liquor, 1 ounce of 100 proof liquor, and 12 ounces of beer all represent one drink because they contain about the same amount of alcohol. Moderate drinking can raise HDL, or good cholesterol, by an average of 4 milligrams per deciliter.
Excessive Drinking
While the moderate consumption of alcohol can benefit your cholesterol status, consuming more than a couple of drinks a day can have detrimental effects on your health, even though it may not increase your cholesterol. Nonetheless, drinking too much can increase your blood pressure, according to Disability Online. Excessive drinking over a period of time can lead to an increase in your risk of a stroke and some types of cancer.
Red Wine
Resveratrol, a compound present in the skin of grapes used to make red wine, has been shown to raise your good cholesterol while lowering your bad cholesterol. In addition, resveratrol appears to protect the lining of your blood vessels and prevent blood clots. However, whether red wine is superior to other forms of alcohol in doing these things and benefitting your heart has not been proven, according to Mayo Clinic.
Additional Information
Moderate drinking is thought to reduce the risk of heart-related death by about 25 to 40 percent, while excessive drinking can have the undesirable effect of boosting your level of triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood. An increased triglyceride level can cause damaging changes to your heart, liver and brain. Binge drinking can significantly raise your blood pressure and exacerbate your chances of having a stroke.
