Moderate beer consumption and positive biochemical changes in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of moderate beer consumption on lipid metabolism and antioxidant activity in patients (pts) with coronary artery disease (CAD).

SUBJECTS

Forty-eight male pts with CAD not alcohol beverages consumers were randomly divided into experimental (EG) and control (CG) groups, 24 pts each.

SETTING

Rehovot University Hospital, Israel.

INTERVENTION

Every patient of the EG during a period of 30 consecutive days consumed 330 ml of Maccabee beer (> 20 g of alcohol). The pts of the CG did not consume alcohol during the trial period.

METHODS

A wide range of tests including total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, total tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol.

RESULTS

Only in the pts of the EG were found a tendency to an increase of the level of HDL-C and a statistically significant rise in the level of total tocopherol (P < 0.025) and alpha-tocopherol (P < 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

Even a short period of moderate beer consumption leads to some favourable biochemical changes in blood of pts with CAD which are widely regarded as indicators of CAD prevention.