Researchers from Boston University School of Public Health found that even moderate amounts of alcohol increase the risk of heart disease due to the biological presence of certain metabolites produced in the body during the breakdown of ethyl alcohol. results published at BMC (BioMed Central).
2,428 people participated in the research. The scientists collected information about the amount and type of alcohol consumed by the participants. They sought to find out which metabolites (intermediate or end products of metabolism) formed as a result of alcohol processing are associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Over 20 years, 636 participants developed such diseases.
Researchers have found that the body produces approximately 60 metabolites during the metabolism of alcoholic beverages. Seven of these indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, participants’ blood tests showed that beer consumption produced fewer metabolites-markers of these diseases in the body compared to the absorption of wine and liquors.
Scientists explained that drinking even moderate amounts of alcohol changes a person’s metabolomic profile. A decrease or increase in the concentration of metabolites in blood serum may indicate that many processes are occurring in the cell or body. Sometimes these processes can be symptoms of the development of various diseases.
Previously recognizedWhy can red wine cause headaches?