A study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open, that tracked people for 10 years in Japan has found that those who quit alcohol had higher levels of LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol and lower levels of HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol, compared to those who continued drinking.
Researchers from Japan, including those from the Institute of Science Tokyo, and the US’ Harvard Medical School, looked at over 3.2 lakh yearly health check-ups to a centre for preventive medicine, made by nearly 57,700 individuals from October 2012 to October 2022.
“Alcohol initiation was associated with decreased LDL-C and increased HDL-C levels whereas alcohol cessation showed an opposite association”
“Despite growing criticism of alcohol consumption due to its overall health risks, it remains unknown how changes in alcohol consumption, particularly cessation, affect lipid profiles outside of intense interventions,” the authors have said.
“In this cohort study of Japanese annual health checkup participants, alcohol initiation was associated with modest cholesterol improvement, whereas cessation was associated with less favorable changes. After alcohol reduction, lipid profile changes should be carefully monitored to optimize cardiovascular disease risk management at both individual and population levels,” they have concluded after the cohort study.
“The current study found that alcohol initiation was associated with decreased LDL-C and increased HDL-C levels, whereas alcohol cessation showed an opposite association in a clinical setting,” the researchers have said. Further, “alcohol initiation was associated with modest cholesterol improvement, whereas cessation was associated with less favourable changes,” they wrote.
“Our study reveals that alcohol abstinence may alter cholesterol profiles in ways that could increase CV risk. Although alcohol abstinence is recommended for overall health benefits, cholesterol management may need to be optimized in abstainers (considering population-level). Findings align with prior randomized controlled trials, suggesting our findings on abstinence effects are reliable,” Takahiro Suzuki, the first author of the study has posted on X.
Experts, however, sounded caution regarding the study’s methodology
The results make people who continue to drink look much healthier in comparison, according to lead researcher Tim Stockwell, a scientist with the University of Victoria, Canada.
“Like the research into the apparent cardiovascular benefits of alcohol, if people who have been heavy drinkers but ceased consuming alcohol are excluded from the analysis, the data might show there is actually no benefit from consuming alcohol on cholesterol levels,” Stephen Bright, a senior lecturer of addiction at Edith Cowan University, Australia, and not involved in the study, said.
“No amount of alcohol is safe”
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for health. Alcohol is a leading risk factor for disease, injuries, and premature death, contributing to cancers, liver disease, heart disease, and mental health disorders. WHO emphasizes that alcohol-related harm is preventable through policies such as higher taxes, advertising restrictions, and reduced availability. It also warns against misleading claims about potential health benefits of alcohol. WHO urges individuals and policymakers to prioritize health over industry interests.
(With inputs from IANS)
