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Gene
Influences Alcohol's
Effect On Cholesterol
NEW
YORK (Reuters Health) - Casual drinkers may tell themselves that
a daily glass of wine is doing as much for their health as would
a jog around the park. So far, science has failed to lend credence
to their claim.
Now, a team
of investigators sheds light on why studies have borne conflicting
results when it comes to the effects of alcohol on heart health.
According to their report, genetic variations may be the reason
why some people get a drop in LDL (or ``bad'') cholesterol with
moderate alcohol intake, and others do not.
The study
in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
found that a person's cholesterol level and drinking status varied
depending on their version of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE).
The gene--which
comes in three versions, E2, E3 and E4--controls the production
of a cholesterol-carrying molecule, and different versions have
been linked with a greater risk of heart disease and Alzheimer's
diseases. People usually have two copies of the gene, one inherited
from each parent.
In the study,
male drinkers with at least one E2 version of the gene had the
lowest level of LDL cholesterol--even lower than nondrinkers and
regardless of age, weight, smoking habits, and fat and calorie
intakes.
On the other
hand, male drinkers with the E4 version of the gene had the highest
LDL concentrations. Again, their level of ''bad'' cholesterol
was higher than nondrinkers, regardless of other cholesterol-influencing
factors.
In women,
the investigators found, alcohol did not have a substantial effect
on LDL, as levels were significantly lower among both female drinkers
and nondrinkers with the E2 variant compared with those with the
E4 variant. The reasons behind the gender differences, however,
are not clear.
Dr. Jose M.
Ordovas, a study author from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts,
said that most people do not know the variant of the APOE gene
they carry, although a test is available to determine the risk
of Alzheimer's disease. APOE E4 is one of the most important known
risk factors for developing the neurodegenerative disorder.
The researchers
call for further study, as the mechanism by which gene variants
and alcohol interact remains a mystery.
``Our ability
to confirm the presence of gene-nutrient interactions and to understand
their metabolic basis will require larger and more detailed studies,''
Dr. Lars Berglund from Columbia University in New York City, writes
in an accompanying editorial.
Additionally,
it is still not clear whether alcohol, or some other behavioral
or lifestyle factor, is responsible for the observed benefits,
Ordovas told Reuters Health.
``It has been
shown over and over that drinkers are different from nondrinkers
in many other behavioral aspects,'' he said. ``Therefore, we need
replication of these findings in other populations with...different
dietary and behavioral habits.''
The study
included 2,147 individuals taking part in the Framingham Offspring
Study, the second generation of Framingham, Massachusetts residents
involved in a well-known, long-term study of heart disease risk
factors.
People who
drink moderately--one to two drinks per day--have been found to
have a lower risk of heart disease. Studies suggest that alcohol
can give a boost to HDL (or ''good'') cholesterol, although the
effects on LDL have been less clear.
SOURCE:
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2001;73:669-670, 736-745.
Reference
Source 89
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