Effect of Moderate Red Wine versus Vodka Consumption on Inflammatory Markers Related to Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Randomized Crossover Study

Red wine alleviates atherosclerosis-related inflammatory markers in healthy subjects rather than in high cardiovascular risk subjects: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Moderate red wine (RW) consumption is associated with a low risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, few studies have evaluated the effects of RW and white wine (WW) on inflammatory markers related to atherosclerosis in healthy individuals and high-risk subjects for CVD. This study aimed to assess the effect of RW on inflammatory markers in healthy individuals and high-risk subjects for CVD compared with moderate alcohol consumption.

METHODS

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 (PRISMA) was followed in this study. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, SinoMed, EbscoHost, and ScienceDirect databases were searched. The risk of bias and quality of the included trials were assessed using the Cochrane Handbook. The main results are summarized in Stata 12.

RESULTS

Twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that RW significantly decreased circulating intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1, and Sialyl-Lewis X expression on the surface of monocytes in healthy subjects, but not in patients with CVD. Additionally, RW significantly decreased Sialyl-Lewis X but increased clusters of differentiation 40 (CD40) expressed on the surface of T lymphocytes and significantly decreased C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) and very late activation antigen 4 (VLA-4) expressed on the surface of monocytes. Interestingly, subgroup analysis also found that RW significantly decreased circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) in Spain but not in other countries, and significantly increased αMβ2 (Mac-1) in the group that had an intervention duration of less than 3 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate consumption of RW is more effective than WW in alleviating atherosclerosis-related inflammatory markers in healthy people rather than high-risk subjects for CVD, but this needs to be further confirmed by studies with larger sample sizes.

Impact of fundamental components of the Mediterranean diet on the microbiota composition in blood pressure regulation

BACKGROUND

The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is a widely studied dietary pattern reflecting the culinary traditions of Mediterranean regions. High adherence to MedDiet correlates with reduced blood pressure and lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality. Furthermore, microbiota, influenced by diet, plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health, and dysbiosis in CVD patients suggests the possible beneficial effects of microbiota modulation on blood pressure. The MedDiet, rich in fiber and polyphenols, shapes a distinct microbiota, associated with higher biodiversity and positive health effects. The review aims to describe how various Mediterranean diet components impact gut microbiota, influencing blood pressure dynamics.

MAIN BODY

The MedDiet promotes gut health and blood pressure regulation through its various components. For instance, whole grains promote a healthy gut microbiota given that they act as substrates leading to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that can modulate the immune response, preserve gut barrier integrity, and regulate energy metabolism. Other components of the MedDiet, including olive oil, fuits, vegetables, red wine, fish, and lean proteins, have also been associated with blood pressure and gut microbiota regulation.

CONCLUSION

The MedDiet is a dietary approach that offers several health benefits in terms of cardiovascular disease management and its associated risk factors, including hypertension. Furthermore, the intake of MedDiet components promote a favorable gut microbiota environment, which, in turn, has been shown that aids in other physiological processes like blood pressure regulation.

Therapeutic potential of adiponectin in prediabetes: strategies, challenges, and future directions

Adiponectin, an adipose-derived hormone, plays a pivotal role in glucose regulation and lipid metabolism, with a decrease in circulating adiponectin levels being linked to insulin resistance and prediabetes. This review examines the therapeutic potential of adiponectin in managing prediabetes, elucidating on multiple aspects including its role in glucose and lipid metabolism, influence on insulin sensitivity, and anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, the paper highlights the latest strategies to augment adiponectin levels, such as gene therapy, pharmacological interventions, dietary modifications, and lifestyle changes. It also addresses the challenges encountered in translating preclinical findings into clinical practice, primarily related to drug delivery, safety, and efficacy. Lastly, the review proposes future directions, underlining the need for large-scale human trials, novel adiponectin analogs, and personalized treatment strategies to harness adiponectin's full therapeutic potential in preventing the transition from prediabetes to diabetes.

Health Effects of Red Wine Consumption: A Narrative Review of an Issue That Still Deserves Debate

A strong controversy persists regarding the effect of red wine (RW) consumption and health. Guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and cancers discourage alcohol consumption in any form, but several studies have demonstrated that low RW intake may have positive effects on CVD risk. This review evaluated randomised controlled trials (RCTs), examining the recent literature on the correlations between acute and chronic RW consumption and health. All RCTs published in English on PubMed from 1 January 2000 to 28 February 2023 were evaluated. Ninety-one RCTs were included in this review, seven of which had a duration of more than six months. We assessed the effect of RW on: (1) antioxidant status, (2) cardiovascular function, (3) coagulation pathway and platelet function, (4) endothelial function and arterial stiffness, (5) hypertension, (6) immune function and inflammation status, (7) lipid profile and homocysteine levels, (8) body composition, type 2 diabetes and glucose metabolism, and (9) gut microbiota and the gastrointestinal tract. RW consumption mostly results in improvements in antioxidant status, thrombosis and inflammation markers, lipid profile, and gut microbiota, with conflicting results on hypertension and cardiac function. Notably, beneficial effects were observed on oxidative stress, inflammation, and nephropathy markers, with a modest decrease in CVD risk in five out of seven studies that evaluated the effect of RW consumption. These studies were conducted mainly in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and had a duration between six months and two years. Additional long-term RCTs are needed to confirm these benefits, and assess the potential risks associated with RW consumption.

Evaluation of cardiovascular risk biomarkers after moderate consumption of red wine and cachaça in a randomized crossover trial: The Wine and Cachaça Study (WICAS)

INTRODUCTION

Moderate daily consumption of alcohol (MDCA) is associated with cardiovascular risk (CVR) reduction in observational studies. Some researches have suggested that this benefit may be associated not only with red wine consumption but also with other beverages. However, there are no clinical trials evaluating the possible CVR benefit of Brazilian spirit (cachaça) in humans.

METHODS

This is a prospective, randomized, crossover study including healthy individuals initially assigned to a MDCA of cachaça or red wine for a period of 4 weeks. After a one-week abstinence period, the type of drink was changed for another 4 weeks of intervention. The MDCA for both beverages was determined as a dose equivalent to 28 g of ethanol per day for men and 14 g for women. CVR biomarkers analyses were performed before and after each intervention to assess the serologic status of C-reactive protein, lipid profile, platelet aggregation and glycemic profile. This study is registered on the ISRCTN platform under number 15978506.

RESULTS

Of the 42 subjects initially randomized, 2 refused to continue in the study. The median age was 44.3 ± 10.3 years and 19 were male (47.5%). Adherence to the protocol was considered ideal with 100% regular use in both interventions and only 3 individuals in each intervention group reported alcohol abuse. There was no significant variation in anthropometric measurements during the study, except for weight gain (0.7 kg) in the red wine group (p = 0.005). The median of the delta of platelet aggregation for MDCA of cachaça was 1.2% (-1.1 to 5.3) and the median of the delta to the MDCA of wine was -1.6% (-4.5 to 2) (p = 0.02). The other biomarkers didn't show any statistically significant variation.

CONCLUSION

Moderate consumption of wine and cachaça was related to variation in laboratory biomarkers of CVR related to atherosclerosis. There was significant weight gain during the period of wine consumption and there was observed a difference between platelet aggregation values after both interventions.

Assessment of the Prevalence of Alcoholic Beverage Consumption and Knowledge of the Impact of Alcohol on Health in a Group of Polish Young Adults Aged 18-35: A Cross-Sectional Study

Alcoholic beverages are widely consumed worldwide, especially by young adults. Their excessive consumption is associated with numerous health, social and financial damages. The level of knowledge of young adults about the health effects of consuming alcoholic beverages is low, and research in this area is conducted on small, unrepresentative groups. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of alcoholic beverage consumption and the level of knowledge about the impact of ethyl alcohol on health in a group of people aged 18−35. The survey results indicate that the majority of respondents regularly consume alcoholic beverages (94.6%), and they are at a low risk of excessive consumption (p < 0.0001). The most frequently chosen alcoholic beverage in the studied group was beer, and the least chosen one was vodka. The main motive for reaching for alcoholic beverages was the desire to improve mood. Respondents did not indicate significant changes in alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic, but participants in the high-risk group more often indicated an increase in alcohol consumption (p = 0.0025). The analysis of the level of knowledge showed that the participants in the study had an average or low level of knowledge about the effects of ethanol on health, with no significant relationships between the study groups. The obtained results indicate a strong need for the continuous education of young people on the effects of the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages on the body, with particular emphasis on the consequences of using alcohol as a mood-enhancing agent.

Risk of incident atrial fibrillation with low-to-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with gender, region, alcohol category: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS 

The association between low-to-moderate alcohol consumption and atrial fibrillation (AF) has yet to be fully elucidated. The main purpose of this meta-analysis was to estimate the risk of incident AF related to low-to-moderate alcohol consumption.

METHODS AND RESULTS 

A meta-analysis was performed on 13 publications discussing the estimated risk for AF with habitual low-to-moderate alcohol intake in 10 266 315 participants. Graphical augmentations to the funnel plots were used to illustrate the potential impact of additional evidence on the current meta-analysis. Thirteen eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis. We found that moderate alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of incident AF in males [hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-1.11, P < 0.00001], Europeans (HR 1.32, 95% CI: 1.23-1.42, P < 0.00001), and Asians (HR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.07-1.11, P < 0.00001). Moderate beer consumption was associated with an increased risk of developing AF (HR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02-1.21, P = 0.01). Low alcohol consumption conferred an increased risk of AF in males (HR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01-1.28, P = 0.04) and Europeans (HR 1.12, 95% CI: 1.07-1.17, P < 0.00001).

CONCLUSIONS 

This analysis represents the increased risk of incident AF in males, Europeans, and Asians at moderate alcohol consumption levels and in males and Europeans at low alcohol consumption levels. Those who drink any preferred alcohol beverage at moderate levels should be cautious for incident AF. More studies are warranted to find those factors that influence alcohol's effect on predisposing AF.

Cardiovascular Effects of Chocolate and Wine-Narrative Review

The consumption of food for pleasure is mainly associated with adverse health effects. This review was carried out to verify recent reports on the impact of chocolate and wine consumption on cardiovascular health, with a particular focus on atherosclerosis. On one side, these products have proven adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, but on the other hand, if consumed in optimal amounts, they have cardiovascular benefits. The submitted data suggest that the beneficial doses are 30–50 g and 130/250 mL for chocolate and wine, respectively, for women and men. The accumulated evidence indicates that the active ingredients in the products under consideration in this review are phenolic compounds, characterized by anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiplatelet properties. However, there are also some reports of cardioprotective properties of other compounds such as esters, amines, biogenic amines, amino acids, fatty acids, mineral ingredients, and vitamins. Our narrative review has shown that in meta-analyses of intervention studies, consumption of chocolate and wine was positively associated with the beneficial outcomes associated with the cardiovascular system. In contrast, the assessment with the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) scale did not confirm this phenomenon. In addition, mechanisms of action of bioactive compounds present in chocolate and wine depend on some factors, such as age, sex, body weight, and the presence of additional medical conditions. Patients using cardiovascular drugs simultaneously with both products should be alert to the risk of pharmacologically relevant interactions during their use. Our narrative review leads to the conclusion that there is abundant evidence to prove the beneficial impact of consuming both products on cardiovascular health, however some evidence still remains controversial. Many authors of studies included in this review postulated that well-designed, longitudinal studies should be performed to determine the effects of these products and their components on atherosclerosis and other CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) disease.

Body mass index and serum levels of soluble leptin receptor are sex-specifically related to alcohol binge drinking behavior

OBJECTIVE

Binge drinking is a highly prevalent behavior in adolescents and young adults and a risk factor to develop alcohol use disorder. Body mass index (BMI) and blood levels of leptin peptide and its soluble receptor have been implicated in alcohol use disorder; however, their role in binge drinking remains to be investigated.

METHOD

We studied associations of BMI, serum levels of soluble leptin receptor (ObRe) and leptin as well as the free leptin index with binge drinking in 93 male and 99 female young adults.

RESULTS

In men, binge drinkers showed significantly higher BMI (kg/m²) than non-binge drinkers (23.67 vs. 22.08) and higher BMI correlated significantly with more severe binge drinking episodes (ρ = 0.251). In women, we found significantly higher ObRe (ng/ml) / BMI (kg/m²) values in binge drinkers than in non-binge drinkers (0.52 vs. 0.44) and ObRe/BMI values correlated significantly with more severe binge drinking episodes (ρ = 0.210).

CONCLUSION

This study confirms that higher BMI associates with binge drinking in men and shows for the first time a role of ObRe/BMI in binge drinking in women. Our data emphasize the importance of further research in the field of metabolic markers and implications in neurobiological processes of binge drinking.

Consensus and Controversy in the Debate over the Biphasic Impact of Alcohol Consumption on the Cardiovascular System

In the past few decades, research has focused on the importance of addressing modifiable risk factors as a means of lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which represents the worldwide leading cause of death. For quite a long time, it has been considered that ethanol intake has a biphasic impact on the cardiovascular system, mainly depending on the drinking pattern, amount of consumption, and type of alcoholic beverage. Multiple case-control studies and meta-analyses reported the existence of a "U-type" or "J-shaped" relationship between alcohol and CVD, as well as mortality, indicating that low to moderate alcohol consumption decreases the number of adverse cardiovascular events and deaths compared to abstinence, while excessive alcohol use has unquestionably deleterious effects on the circulatory system. However, beginning in the early 2000s, the cardioprotective effects of low doses of alcohol were abnegated by the results of large epidemiological studies. Therefore, this narrative review aims to reiterate the association of alcohol use with cardiac arrhythmias, dilated cardiomyopathy, arterial hypertension, atherosclerotic vascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, highlighting literature disagreements over the risk and benefits of low to moderate drinking on the cardiovascular system.