alcohol and hyperlipidaemia

Last reviewed 10/2023

• obesity may result from alcohol because alcoholic beverages are energy rich (especially beer and wine)
• in general, hypertriglyceridaemia is associated with excessive alcohol intake. This is because there is an increased synthesis of triglyceride in the liver and consequent increased hepatic VLDL secretion. Alcoholic steatosis occurs if hepatic VLDL production and synthesis does not match the rate of hepatic triglyceride synthesis.
• usually alcohol excess is associated with the development of a type IV hyperlipidaemia. However if there is a defect in triglyceride catabolism then a extreme type V hyperlipidaemia can result
• if chronic liver disease has not developed then often serum LDL cholesterol levels are reduced and HDL cholesterol levels raised in chronic alcoholism