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Compared to heavy drinking or abstinence moderate consumption
has been associated with lower mortality rates according to a
study by Van de Wiel in The Netherlands Journal of Medicine. Van de Wiel asserts that half of the protective effect of alcohol
on cardiovascular risk can be explained by its ability to raise
HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol). Since light to moderate alcohol
intake is associated with enhanced insulin sensitivity and this
improvement in sensitivity results in higher HDL cholesterol levels,
it is suggested that this is one of the routes taken by alcohol
to act upon HDL metabolism. HDL cholesterol and insulin sensitivity
increases are also considered to have a beneficial effect on the
process of antherosclerosis.
Source: Van de Wiel. A ' Alcohol and insulin sensitivity',Netherlands Journal of Medicine, Vol
52,No3,1998. |
