Light to moderate alcohol drinking can raise HDL, but heavy drinking can increase total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides. This raises the chance of developing cardiovascular disease.

Although you may think of cholesterol as unhealthy, it’s essential for your health. For example, it makes up the membrane surrounding your body’s cells and is necessary to produce vitamin D and hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.

While your body needs cholesterol to function, too much cholesterol may contribute to health issues, including an increased risk of heart disease. That’s why it’s important to keep your cholesterol within a healthy range.

Many factors can affect cholesterol levels, including body weight and dietary intake. Alcohol intake may also affect cholesterol levels, both positively and negatively.

This article explains how alcohol intake affects cholesterol levels and heart health.

The relationship between alcohol and health is complicated and depends on many factors, including how much and how often you drink.

While light to moderate alcohol intake isn’t usually harmful, heavy alcohol use can cause severe effects. In fact, heavy alcohol use is one of the leading risk factors for disease burden worldwide, increasing the risk of certain cancers, liver disease, and heart disease.

Alcohol intake affects cholesterol levels differently depending on the level and frequency of intake.

Light to moderate alcohol intake may improve HDL (good) cholesterol

HDL cholesterol protects heart health by collecting excess cholesterol and transporting it to your liverTrusted Source, where it can be removed or recycled. This reduces the formation of plaque in your arteries. Higher HDL levels may help protect against heart disease and related death.

Light alcohol intake may increase HDL levels.

Also significant is that light to moderate alcohol intake does not seem to increase LDL (bad) cholesterol, total cholesterol, or triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are another type of lipid circulating in your blood.

In fact, some research links light to moderate alcohol intake with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart disease-related death in most populations. However, higher-quality studies are needed to confirm these benefits.

Some expertsTrusted Source still warn that even light to moderate alcohol consumption can have adverse health effects.

Heavy alcohol intake increases LDL (bad) cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides

While experts may disagree on the effects of light to moderate alcohol consumption, the research is pretty clear on heavy drinking. Research consistently ties heavy drinking to high LDL (bad) cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.

For example, a 2019 study of 1,519 people linked high intensity binge drinking — 8 or more drinks for women and 10 or more drinks for men per day — with a 2- to 8-fold increased risk of high triglyceride and total cholesterol levels.

Research also links the negative effects of heavy drinking on lipid profiles to heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure.

This is why heavy drinking is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and heart disease-related death.

Summary

Light to moderate alcohol intake may improve HDL cholesterol levels and reduce heart disease risk, though some experts disagree. However, it’s clear that heavy drinking elevates multiple heart disease risk factors, including LDL and total cholesterol.

The effects of alcohol on overall health, including cholesterol levels, depend on many factors.

Firstly, alcohol doesn’t affect everyone the same way.

For example, females are much more sensitive to the effects of alcohol because they have lower levels of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which breaks down alcohol.

Therefore, females cannot metabolize alcohol at the same rate as males and absorb more alcohol into their bloodstream. Plus, females are generally smaller than males.

This is why alcohol intake recommendations differ by sex.

Current recommendationsTrusted Source for moderate alcohol intake are one drink per day or less for females and two drinks per day or less for males. Your doctor may recommend something different for you if you have a chronic disease like diabetes or heart failure.

Research links heavy drinking with negative health effects, like high cholesterol. Experts define heavy drinking as:

  • Males: 5 or more drinks on any given day, or more than 15 drinks per week
  • Females: 4 or more drinks on any given day, or more than 8 drinks per week

According to one study, the maximum potential benefit for heart health occurs at low alcohol intake levels of 0.5 to 1 standard drinks per day for females and 1 to 2 standard drinks per day for males.

However, even if you fall into the heavy drinking category, cutting back on alcohol may significantly reduce your risk of heart disease.

Notably, a 10-year study found that when people with type 2 diabetes reduced their alcohol intake by 2 or more drinks per week (or abstained completely), their cholesterol levels dropped significantly. Their heart disease risk also decreased by 44% compared with those who consistently drank moderate amounts.

Summary

The frequency and amount of alcohol you drink affects heart health, including cholesterol levels. In particular, heavy drinking is associated with negative effects.

For most people, light to moderate drinking is unlikely to negatively affect cholesterol levels. In fact, it may improve HDL cholesterol levels and even reduce the risk of heart disease.

However, heavy drinking impairs heart health and may raise total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Experts recommend keeping cholesterol levels within a certain range to keep your heart healthy. Current cholesterol recommendationsTrusted Source are as follows:

  • Total cholesterol: 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L) or less
  • LDL cholesterol: 130 mg/dL (3.4 mmol/L) or less
  • HDL cholesterol: 40 mg/dL (1 mmol/L) or higher in males and 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) or higher in females

Although maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is essential to reducing heart disease risk, many factors contribute to this condition, including blood pressure, genetics, and sex.

Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle promotes healthy cholesterol levels and reduces your risk of heart disease and other conditions. This includes:

When should you see a doctor?

A healthcare professional can test your cholesterol levels to determine whether they’re within a healthy range and assess other potential heart disease risk factors.

If you’re currently consuming multiple drinks per day or feel that your alcohol intake is harming your physical and mental health, there are ways to get help.

Talk with a trusted health professional about your concerns, or visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website to find treatment options and resources near you.

Summary

Light to moderate alcohol intake is unlikely to harm cholesterol levels, but heavy drinking can. If you’re concerned that your drinking is damaging your health, consult a healthcare professional.

Depending on your intake, alcohol may either positively or negatively affect cholesterol levels and other measures of heart health.

While light to moderate drinking may increase HDL cholesterol, heavy alcohol use is associated with elevated levels of LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, as well as a greater risk of heart disease and death due to this condition.

If you’re concerned about your cholesterol levels or alcohol intake, talk with a healthcare professional. They can provide appropriate testing and additional resources if needed.