Red wine lowers bad cholesterol but doesnt improve overall heart health

As such, refraining from alcohol consumption when taking pharmaceutical medication of any kind is, generally speaking, the best idea. Alcohol and statins have a pharmacodynamic reaction which is particularly concerning as both have an effect on liver function. Besides their benefits, these drugs also have some side effects, especially if you don’t follow the doctor’s instructions. Alcohol is one of the substances that can aggravate this medication’s side-effects. You should avoid taking grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking statins as they may increase the concentration of the drug in the bloodstream.

Potential Side Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Statins

Muscle inflammation (myositis) and muscle weakness (myalgia) are the two most common side effects of statins. As a result of these side effects, users are more likely to acquire injuries, mainly when using statins with certain medications like fibrates. A more extreme version of this side effect is rhabdomyolysis, a type of extreme muscle damage and inflammation that triggers extensive aches and a feeling of weakness. This widespread breakdown of muscle fiber in the body forces the kidneys to work harder and may lead to kidney failure in untreated cases. Some people who are on cholesterol-lowering medicines may experience muscle aches when they drink alcohol.

This can have an impact on your day-to-day life, and it’s important to tell your doctor if you experience this. Side effects may be caused by the statin but could also be caused by other things such as stress, tiredness, or a change in your lifestyle. If you’ve started taking statins recently it’s worth bearing in mind that symptoms with any new medicine may improve over time or even disappear. It is advised to spread the 14 units out over the week rather than using them all in one session. Healthy people should not see any problems if they drink 2 alcoholic beverages a day while taking statins.

Is drinking some alcohol better than not drinking it at all?

Understanding the impact of alcohol consumption on cholesterol levels and the role of statins in managing cholesterol is crucial when considering the interaction between alcohol and statins. Understanding the impact of alcohol and statins on liver health is essential for individuals who are prescribed statins and are also consuming alcohol. By being informed and taking necessary precautions, you can help minimize the potential risks and promote a healthier liver. It’s important to note that alcohol can also have an impact on cholesterol levels. While moderate alcohol intake may have some positive effects on HDL (good) cholesterol levels, excessive consumption can lead to increased triglyceride levels and elevated LDL cholesterol levels.

Liver Disease

As you become older, you are likely to have other medical conditions for which you may be on some medications. Nonetheless, it would be best to discuss the benefits and risks of taking statins with your doctor before you start taking the medicine. Heart and circulatory disease are much more prevalent than you might think. It is the cause of more than a quarter of all deaths in the UK, an average of 450 deaths daily or one every three minutes in the UK. Over 7.6 million people live with heart disease, and it is reasonable to presume that almost all of them are on medications.

Submission: Large Study Shows Drinking Alcohol Is Good For Yours Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins, when mixed with excessive alcohol, may elevate triglyceride levels, worsen muscle side effects and possibly lead to liver damage. Talk to your doctor first if you have more than 1 to 2 alcoholic drinks daily and you take a statin. Statins, a common category of medications used for lowering blood cholesterol levels, pose a moderate risk to those fighting alcohol abuse, mainly because of the way both interact with each other. These medicines are commonly prescribed for cardiovascular disease management and may have pretty severe side effects, especially in people who continue to combine them with alcohol without any checks. Instead, the organization advises watching your weight, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly to keep your cholesterol levels in check. The study found that moderate red wine consumption had a measurable impact on LDL cholesterol, showing a small but statistically significant reduction.

The study isn’t the first to find good news for drinkers’ cholesterol levels, though it’s one of the larger studies with longer follow-up time. And it has long been found that alcohol drinking seems to have some benefits for cardiovascular health. A recent review and meta-analysis by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that moderate drinkers had lower relative risks of heart attacks and strokes. The analysis also found that drinkers had a lower risk of all-cause mortality (death by any cause).

Would I be offered a statin without having my cholesterol checked?

• Talk to your doctor first if you have more than 1 to 2 alcoholic drinks daily and you take a statin.
• It can be helpful to have an honest conversation with your doctor about your alcohol use if you are considering taking statins to manage your cholesterol levels.
• One drink is equal to 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of liquor.
• Low-dose alcohol also may slightly reduce the risk of heart attacks and certain strokes.
• Since moderate to high alcohol intake can also elevate liver enzymes, the combination of heavy drinking and statins will increase the chances of abnormal test results.
• Nonetheless, you should discuss your alcohol consumption with your doctor before commencing treatment with statins.

Niacin should not be used if you have liver problems or a history of liver disease, elevated liver enzyme levels or current liver disease. Statins or other cholesterol medications work by lowering LDL (low density lipoproteins, or “bad” cholesterol) and triglycerides. They can also raise HDL (high density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol). These oral medicines are available as single agents or in combination with other medicines. It can be helpful to have an honest conversation with your doctor about your alcohol use if you are considering taking statins to manage your cholesterol levels. But nearly all find that when they switch to a different statin, their symptoms resolve.

Consuming statin medication carries a mild risk of experiencing increased blood sugar levels. While these increases are mild or temporary in most cases, some people may keep experiencing them in the long term. This is how some people using statins for years end up acquiring type 2 diabetes. That said, remember that in most cases, the benefits of taking statins generally outweigh the risk of experiencing blood sugar alterations. If you drink alcohol and are taking Lipitor, let your healthcare provider know.

However, for some people side effects can have a big impact on their daily life. Whether you’re taking statins or considering whether to take them, you may have questions about this cholesterol-lowering medication. If you struggle with alcohol dependency or addiction, you should avoid taking statins until you have dealt with the issue as a way of preventing serious damage to your liver. There are certain people who are more at risk of developing complications with side effects when taking statins.

However, mixing them with alcohol can increase the severity of potential side effects. Mixing them may increase the burden on the liver, leading to severe multiple health complications, such as chronic liver disease. Drinking excessively while taking statins can also risk many other side effects, like kidney problems, muscle pain and soreness, and fatigue. Therefore, testing yourself before commencing treatment is essential to assess your current liver health. It is also imperative to schedule blood tests frequently every three months to keep tabs on how well your liver is functioning. Moreover, experts advise reducing alcohol as much as possible, avoiding smoking, and exercising to maintain good health.

There are some risks of much more serious side effects when taking statins. That said, having the occasional drink while on Lipitor should not cause harm in people who do not have liver problems and are generally healthy. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss…from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. When people do experience side effects from taking statins, they are typically minor and resolve once a person stops taking the statins or changes their dosage.

Low-dose alcohol also may slightly reduce the risk of heart attacks and certain strokes. That means no more than one to two drinks a day, counting five ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, and 1.5 ounces of liquor as one drink. Although red wine has theoretical advantages for the heart, studies suggest that all forms of alcohol are equally protective as long as the dose is right. Statin use is linked to a significant reduction in the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hepatic decompensation in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Lipophilic statins, such as atorvastatin and simvastatin, show stronger protective effects, with longer usage enhancing these benefits.

Are statins safe? They seem to get a lot of negative press

Additionally, the authors were unable to establish a clear dose-response relationship or determine the most effective alcohol and statins type of wine. Despite these limitations, the findings suggested that moderate red wine consumption may have a modest role in supporting cardiovascular health, particularly in reducing LDL cholesterol. Red wine has long been thought to have a positive impact on cardiovascular health. With heart disease remaining the leading cause of death globally, researchers are constantly exploring ways to manage cardiovascular risks.

There is a risk of memory loss and confusion in a minimal number of people who combine statins and alcohol. The precise cause of this side effect is unknown, and the evidence confirming this relationship is still insufficient. Nevertheless, some drinkers taking statins have reported experiencing these side effects. One of the reasons is that since alcohol and cholesterol medicine both are processed through the liver, they are, in a way, competing with each other for clearance.