How alcohol affects cholesterol?

As a society, we have had our fair share of health fads. From wheatgrass shots to the celery juice craze, we’ve tried it all. However, one thing that remains a constant in many adult’s lives is alcohol. For some, drinking is a social activity; for others, it’s simply unwinding after a long day at work.

But what really happens when you drink? How do your cholesterol levels come into play? Let’s raise our glasses (or mocktails) and dive right in!

What Exactly Does Alcohol Do in Our Bodies?

Before getting into how alcohol affects cholesterol specifically, let’s take a closer look at what exactly happens when we consume booze.

When ethanol – the type of alcohol found in beer, wine and spirits – enters your body through your mouth or nose (lucky us) , it is absorbed by your bloodstream through the walls of your stomach and small intestines. It then travels throughout your body affecting different organs along the way such as the brain and liver.

Additionally, enzymes called cytochrome P450 oxidase are needed to break down ethanol so that it can be processed by our bodies (look at these fancy scientific terms) .

Why Sober People Have Nothing To Worry About

For those who abstain from alcohol completely, there isn’t much need for concern over cholesterol levels unrelated to diet (meaning lots of cheeseburgers will still raise their bad LDL levels) . But for those who do enjoy an occasional drink or two…keep reading!

A recent study published by ScienceDirect showed the link between moderate or heavy consumption with increased risk for cardiovascular disease (not like we needed another reason not to nurse vodka on our own) .

How Too Much Alchohol Affects Your Cholesterol Levels

So now onto why any reader came here – what does alcohol do to cholesterol levels?

Unfortunately, it’s not great news for those who enjoy heavy drinking.

Drinking Too Much Leads to High Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a type of fat that can be found in your blood (one of the few bad versions just we keep around like belly fat or toxic exes) . Normally, our bodies convert these into energy; however, too much alcohol consumption can cause an increase in triglyceride levels instead which increases your risk for heart disease.

Alcohol Affects The Liver – and Not In a Good Way

When you drink lots of vodka sodas or margaritas, many things happen at once – one being your liver has to go into overdrive to metabolize all that booze. This is where the saying “pickling my liver” comes from

Excessive drinking leads to fatty deposits forming on the liver which then restricts its ability to break down LDL (bad) cholesterol causing more build up within the body.

Be Diligent About Moderation!

Now don’t worry – moderate drinking isn’t harmful on its own! If anything there have been studies showing how red wine in particular has antioxidants beneficial towards preventative measures against cardiovascular disease.

How Often Your Drink Determines Its Effects On Cholesterol

The key factor here lies within moderation. Every individual varies with their tolerance towards certain substances so it’s best everyone holds themselves accountable this information while accounting their personal limits (it all gets technical straight off ‘go’ right?)

For men, health guidelines advise consuming no more than two drinks per day whereas women should aim at one glass max We’re looking out for you ladies

But remember: if indulging during happy hour exceeds that amount consistently…it could lead down serious roadblocks when considering overall health concerns correlate hand in hand with intake frequency and quantity consumed.

Bottom-Line Benefits Of Taking A Break From Booze

If you’ve gotten this far, it might be easy to think that we’re flat-out discouraging drinking. However, puts down the g&t people would rather encourage less frequent indulgences instead.

The following benefits come from periodic cessation of booze:

  • lower resting heart rate after one month
  • better sleep cycles
  • reduced rates towards developing high blood pressure/ other cardiovascular diseases…including high cholesterol!

Put that on the menu next time and watch how quick everyone jumps onto #DryJanuary bandwagon or even looking forward to Happy Hour in a completely different light!

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