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Cutting down on alcohol can help you to lower your cholesterol levels. It can improve your heart health and help prevent heart disease in other ways too, by helping to look after your liver, your blood pressure, your weight and your waist line. There’s lots of bonuses to cutting back. You might notice your skin looks brighter, you feel more energetic, your mood improves and you sleep better. There’s help available too and ideas to get you motivated. How does alcohol raise your cholesterol?
Alcohol can affect your health in other ways too:
How much alcohol is safe to drink?To stay in good health and avoid illness, the government recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, for men and women. To keep the risks down:
If you have high cholesterol or FH, it should be OK to drink alcohol within these limits. There are some health problems and treatments which can mean it’s safer to avoid alcohol all together. Speak to your doctor or nurse about what’s safe for you. In the past, it was thought that drinking in moderation was good for your heart. It’s now believed that the only possible benefits are for women over 55 when drinking 5 units a week or less, and the benefits are modest. We don’t recommend drinking alcohol to improve your health, as you will improve your health more by eating well and being active. With alcohol, the cons could out way the pros. How much is a unit of alcohol?A unit of alcohol is roughly the amount your body can clear from your blood in one hour. It’s the equivalent of 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol. Different drinks contain different amounts of alcohol, as some are stronger than others. For example, a 175ml glass of wine can contain anywhere between 1.9 and 2.4 units. It can be surprising how many units are in your favourite drinks, and how quickly they add up. 14 units is roughly:
How can I drink less alcohol?Cutting down on alcohol can be easier than you think. Try these tips to help you:
Where to get supportIf you need support to help you cut back or stop drinking:
Read about foods that are high in cholesterol Although you may think of cholesterol as unhealthy, it’s essential for your health. For example, it makes up the membrane surrounding your body’s cells and is necessary to produce vitamin D and hormones such as estrogen and testosterone (1). While your body needs cholesterol to function, having too much cholesterol may contribute to health issues, including an increased risk of heart disease. That’s why keeping your cholesterol within a healthy range is important. Cholesterol levels are affected by many factors, including body weight and dietary intake. Alcohol intake may also affect cholesterol levels, both positively and negatively (1, 2). This article explains how alcohol intake affects cholesterol levels and heart health. The relationship between alcohol and health is complicated and depends on many factors, including how much and how often you drink. While light to moderate alcohol intake isn’t usually harmful, heavy alcohol use can cause severe effects. In fact, heavy alcohol use is one of the leading risk factors for disease burden worldwide, increasing the risk of certain cancers, liver disease, and heart disease (3). Alcohol intake affects cholesterol levels differently depending on the level and frequency of intake. Light to moderate alcohol intake may improve HDL (good) cholesterolLight alcohol intake may increase levels of HDL cholesterol (2). HDL protects heart health because it collects excess cholesterol and transports it to your liver, where it can be removed or recycled. This reduces the formation of plaque in your arteries (4, 5). Having higher levels of HDL cholesterol may help protect against heart disease and related death. In fact, light to moderate alcohol intake is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart disease-related death in most populations (2, 6). Heavy alcohol intake increases heart disease risk factorsHeavy drinking is consistently tied to negative health outcomes, including high LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure (7, 8, 9, 10). A study in 1,519 people associated high intensity binge drinking — 8 or more drinks for women and 10 or more drinks for men per day — with a 2–8-fold increased risk of high triglyceride and total cholesterol levels (9). Furthermore, excess alcohol intake may contribute to increases in blood pressure and waist circumference, which are also considered heart disease risk factors (11, 12). This is why heavy drinking is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and heart disease-related death (13, 14). Summary The effects of alcohol on overall health, including cholesterol levels, depend on many factors. Firstly, alcohol doesn’t affect everyone the same way. For example, females are much more sensitive to the effects of alcohol because they have lower levels of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which breaks down alcohol (15). Therefore, females cannot metabolize alcohol at the same rate as males and absorb more alcohol into their bloodstream. Plus, females are generally smaller than males (2). This is why alcohol intake recommendations differ by sex. Current recommendations for moderate alcohol intake are one drink per day or less for females and two drinks per day or less for males (16, 17). Heavy drinking, which is associated with numerous health risks, is defined as (16):
According to one study, the maximum potential benefit for heart health occurs at low alcohol intake levels of 0.5–1 standard drinks per day for females and 1–2 standard drinks per day for males (13). However, even if you fall into the heavy drinking category, cutting back on alcohol may significantly reduce your risk of heart disease. Notably, a 10-year study found that when people with type 2 diabetes reduced their alcohol intake by 2 or more drinks per week (or abstained completely), their heart disease risk decreased by 44% compared with those who consistently drank moderate amounts (6, 18). Summary For most people, light to moderate drinking is unlikely to negatively affect cholesterol levels. In fact, it may improve HDL cholesterol levels and even reduce the risk of heart disease. However, heavy drinking impairs heart health and may raise total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Keeping cholesterol levels within a certain range is recommended in order to keep your heart healthy. Current cholesterol recommendations are as follows (19):
Although maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is essential to reducing heart disease risk, many factors contribute to this condition, including blood pressure, genetics, and sex (19). Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle — which includes limiting alcohol, keeping a moderate body weight, staying active, and following a nutritious diet — promotes healthy cholesterol levels and reduces your risk of heart disease and other conditions. When should you see a doctor?A healthcare professional can test your cholesterol levels to determine whether they’re currently within a healthy range, as well as assess other potential heart disease risk factors. If you’re currently consuming multiple drinks per day or feel that your alcohol intake is harming your physical and mental health, there are ways to get help. Talk with a trusted health professional about your concerns or visit this website to find treatment options and resources near you. Summary Depending on your intake, alcohol may either positively or negatively affect cholesterol levels and other measures of heart health. While light to moderate drinking may increase HDL cholesterol, heavy alcohol use is associated with elevated levels of LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, as well as a greater risk of heart disease and death due to this condition. If you’re concerned about your cholesterol levels or alcohol intake, talk with a healthcare professional. They can provide appropriate testing and additional resources if needed. What can I drink while lowering cholesterol?Best drinks to improve cholesterol. Green tea. Green tea contains catechins and other antioxidant compounds that seem to help lower “bad” LDL and total cholesterol levels. ... . Soy milk. Soy is low in saturated fat. ... . Oat drinks. ... . Tomato juice. ... . Berry smoothies. ... . Drinks containing sterols and stanols. ... . Cocoa drinks. ... . Plant milk smoothies.. Can I drink alcohol if I have high cholesterol?For most people, light to moderate drinking is unlikely to negatively affect cholesterol levels. In fact, it may improve HDL cholesterol levels and even reduce the risk of heart disease. However, heavy drinking impairs heart health and may raise total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Does vodka help lower cholesterol?It's heart-healthy.
Vodka can increase blood-flow and circulation in your body which can prevent clots, strokes, and other heart diseases. Vodka can also help lower your cholesterol. And, for those watching their weight, it's also generally considered a lower-calorie alcohol.
Will quitting alcohol lower cholesterol?Cutting down on alcohol can help you to lower your cholesterol levels. It can improve your heart health and help prevent heart disease in other ways too, by helping to look after your liver, your blood pressure, your weight and your waist line. There's lots of bonuses to cutting back.
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