Article updated May 2022
Cholesterol is both produced in the liver and obtained from food.
Although alcohol does not contain it, what and how much we drink can affect the body’s lipid metabolism.
Total cholesterol in the blood consists of, among other things, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), called „good” cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), called „bad” cholesterol.
The latter, if present in excess, accumulate inside the arteries and form what is known as atherosclerotic plaque.
Over time, it can restrict or completely block blood flow to other parts of the body.
Another form of lipids in the blood is triglycerides.
As with LDL cholesterol, high levels of these can be harmful to health.
Alcohol and cholesterol
Do and how do percentage drinks affect the body’s lipid metabolism?
When we drink alcohol, does cholesterol go up or down?
The answer to this question is not clear only depends on the type of cholesterol.
Let’s also remember that when consuming alcohol, we often reach for unhealthy snacks.
Salty sticks or beer chips, cheese, tartlets or wine tortillas provide extra calories and unhealthy fats.
These can raise cholesterol levels in the body.
High triglycerides and beer, or does beer raise cholesterol?
Let’s start with beer.
Although it is low in alcohol and does not provide cholesterol on its own, it contains carbohydrates that can increase potentially harmful triglycerides in the blood[1].
For this reason, it should be consumed in moderation.
Beer is also high in calories, and consuming it in excess can contribute to the development of fat disorders.
Vodka and cholesterol
High-alcohol by itself does not raise cholesterol levels.
However, the situation changes when we prepare colorful drinks from it with added sugar and sweet syrups.
Additives, which are ingredients in drinks (such as sweet sodas), contain a lot of calories, and can also contribute to an increase in the level of bad LDL cholesterol in the blood.
Wine and cholesterol
Wine, which has the best reputation of all alcoholic beverages, should also be approached with caution.
It contains healthy plant sterols, but the alleged positive effects of this type of alcohol on the heart have not been confirmed.
Further research is needed to confirm this link.
Strong alcohol, such as vodka, rum and whiskey, also does not contain cholesterol.
However, some varieties of it, as well as drinks and ready drinks, have added sugar, which can affect lipid levels in the body.
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol also risks vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
The amount of alcohol is also important
As important to health as the type of alcohol is the amount and frequency of consumption.
The US National Institute of Health cites drinking no more than two standard doses of alcohol per day for men and one for women as carrying a low risk.
This means less than a glass of beer, 100 grams of wine or 25 grams of vodka.
Cholesterol drugs and alcohol
If you suffer from high cholesterol and are taking statins on a regular basis, you should not drink alcohol at all.
It’s very important not to mix any drugs with alcohol, because they affect the liver, where cholesterol is synthesized.
Alcohol puts a great strain on this organ, so you should not reach for it while taking statins.
What else is worth watching out for?
People struggling with excessively high blood cholesterol levels should further limit their alcohol intake or even give it up altogether.
Since most cholesterol comes from eggs, offal and cured meats, as well as dairy fat, it’s a good idea to control how much of these products you eat on a daily basis.
Regular exercise also helps improve cholesterol levels.
Drinking alcohol increases blood lipid levels, and individual recommendations on how much is safe depend on a number of factors.
Therefore, it is best to consult your doctor to find out if and how much we can consume.
- 1 „There is some evidence that high intakes (> 20 E%) of sugars may increase serum triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol concentrations, and that > 20 to 25 E% might adversely affect glucose and insulin response,” Link