Cardiovascular risk and benefits from antioxidant dietary intervention with red wine in asymptomatic hypercholesterolemics.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The role of red wine in cardiovascular risk prevention has been documented by several epidemiological studies in patients and normocholesterolemic healthy individuals. However, it is unclear whether hypercholesterolemic individuals free of cardiovascular disease would equally benefit from moderate red wine consumption to prevent atherosclerosis and the development of cardiovascular disease. METHODS: Forty (40) healthy male and female volunteers were recruited, divided into 2 age-adjusted groups according to their total cholesterol levels; in asymptomatic hypercholesterolemics (AHC), and normocholesterolemics (NC). Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), Lipid profile, Vitamin E, and cardiovascular risk indexes (Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL)/High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) and Vitamin E/Total Cholesterol (TC) were evaluated in the blood serum of all subjects prior to and 1 month after once daily red wine consumption as well as prior to and after being given a placebo drink following a 1 month wash out period. RESULTS: TAC significantly increased after the intervention in all subjects in AHC and NC group with a mean difference (post-pre) 1.78 mmol/l and 0.87 mmol/l, respectively. Vitamin E significantly increased especially in AHC group (13.1% increase) compared to NC group (5.41%) after red wine consumption, with higher increase in the AHC group. There was marginal significant treatment effect (decrease) on fasting LDL/HDL ratio (p = 0.05) and a statistically significant increase on Vitamin E/TC ratio relative to drinking placebo for NC (p < 0.005) and AHC group (p < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic (AHC) individuals are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease as presented by high cholesterol levels in addition to the presence of low baseline serum α-tocopherol (vitamin E) concentrations, leading to atherosclerosis. AHC individuals following an early dietary intervention, seem likely to reduce the risk factors for cardiovascular disease by increasing circulating concentrations of TAC and α-tocopherol (vitamin E) so as vitamin E/TC ratio increases.

Alterations of antioxidant status in asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic individuals after resveratrol intake.

High cholesterol is one of the risk factors for atherogenesis, leading to oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The focus of this study was to evaluate the role and the pathways of action of a natural antioxidant, resveratrol, in asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic (AHC) individuals. Forty healthy AHCs and normocholesterolemics (NCs) participated in the study. They received random-order resveratrol and placebo capsules for four weeks. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), vitamin E and total cholesterol (TC) were measured at baseline and at the end of each intervention. Resveratrol provided a direct antioxidant effect in healthy NC individuals, but in AHC individuals, with a higher demand for antioxidant activity due to higher cholesterol levels, it acted by facilitating an increase in vitamin E. Our findings suggest that resveratrol acts synergistically with other antioxidants against oxidative stress and highlights the importance of hypercholesterolemic individuals consuming natural antioxidants instead of medications to reduce the risk of CVD, while the situation is still reversible.