RESEARCH at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Alims) has borne oud the belief that moderate alcohol cosumption can protect people from cornary heart diseases (CHD). The studw reveals that moderate doses of alcow increase the level of proteins called higb density lipoproteins (Hf)LS) that we good for the heart and keep heart dmeases at bay.Lipoproteins are found in the bloodW carry fatty chemical substanceswm-n as lipids, which play the imporw role of ferrying cholesterol inrr body via the blood stream.ik low density lipoproteins (LDLS)orisport cholesterol from its siteproduction in the liver to the cells,bere it is used to build cell walls andrnerate energy, HDLS transportxtss or unused cholesterol from the's tissues back to the liver, where itbroken down and excreted. Expertsbtve that HDLS may retard the buildp of fats and are, in fact, beneficial to health.
The AHMS Study on the effect of alco consumption on the heart was conatd by L M Srivastava and colleaguesthe department of biochemistry at The scientists studied 45 healthysks, of which 10 were moderatewkers, 10 heavy drinkers. Thenaming constituted non-drinkingscrols. The men were between 35 to65 years of age. The moderatedrinkers consumed 26 in] of'absolute alcohol (about 2 pegsof whisky) per day, 3-5 times aweek, whereas the heavy dosedrinkers drank 78 ml per day,4-6 days a week.
Blood samples from thesubjects revealed that the levelsOf HDL-cholesterol were elevated both in moderate (13 percent increase) and heavydrinkers (21 per cent increase)as compared to the controls.But the scientists point out thatthere is published evidence thatin the long run, heavy alcohol consumption hampers syntheSiS Of HDL, resulting in thedeposition of cholesterol on the,, arterialwalls.
Says Srivastava, "There is no otherfoolproof method of increasing HDLand alcohol may have potential therapeutic applications." The scientists nowwant to extend the study to heartpatients. As Srivastava puts it, "It mightnot seem wise to recommend alcoholdrinking, but should we not make use ofsomething that reduces the risk of heartdiseases?"